Reading Lord Perseus Child of Rome
by Johanna Night
Summary: The title is self explanatory: The gods are to read Anaklusmos14's story 'Lord Perseus Child of Rome' with a few visitors. Reviews and flames welcome!
1. Chapter 1

HESTIA POV

It was a regular day on Olympus-That is, as regular as it could be with all the fighting. I sighed as my siblings squabbled with each other once again.

"Owl Head!"

"Seaweed Brain!"

"Know it all!"

"You!"

Meanwhile:

"You had another child! How could you!"

"It's my child! You will not hurt her!"

I poked at the flames with a stick, praying that something would stop their fighting. Fortunately, something did. A book fell out of the sky and dropped onto my brother Zeus's head.

"Who dares-" He was cut off by Hera.

"Read it, you cheating bastard!"

Zeus glared at her, and turned to the note.

_Dear Gods:_

_The Olympians, Hestia, and Hades will read the following book. There will be no changing the future nor killing any of the demigods that will be arriving shortly; as if that were even able to happed. One of them is very powerful; anger him and you anger the Creater himself. We wish you the best of luck in reading,_

_Sincerely,_

_The Fates_

Zeus nodded grudgingly. "So where are the demigods that the note talked about?" Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light and three figures were falling from the ceiling. Hera raised her hand to summon a couch, but a pitch black one appeared under them. I glanced at Hades, but he looked just as confused.

"WHO DARES-" He was cut off as one of the figures stood up and glared at Zeus.

"Shut up, you worthless scum!"

I glanced with wide eyes at the man in the center of the room. "You shall not talk to me like that!" Zeus boomed. He raised his master bolt...  
And suddenly it disappeared.

"What the-" His gasp was cut off by his own bolt being thrown at him. He ducked to the side, and the woman on the left laughed humorlessly.

"You have gotten brighter, _Lord of the skies." _

"_Zoe?!" _ Artemis gasped. "What are you _doing here?" _The said huntress smiled at her mistress.

"Why, to read the books, of course." Zoe put her hand on the man's shoulder. "Come on, Percy. Don't kill him now; he needs to be able to read."  
She sat down on the couch, while Zeus stared at the other girl in awe.

"_Thalia?!"_

"She's your child?" Hera spat out the word child like it was venom.

"_Zeus_ is no father of mine. My rightful father is Perseus." She glared at my brother, who gulped nervously.

"And who is this 'Perseus'?" Athena inquired. Zoe smiled.

"He is the son of Chaos." At her words, the entire counsil broke into arguing. Suddenly, a bright beam of light brought them back to the matter at hand.

"The books?" Percy prompted. Athena nodded.

"I'll read first."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or this story. PJO rights go to Rick Riordan, the story goes to the amazing writer Anaklusnos14.**_

**Deep in the woods of the Roman empire, a large wolf sprinted further and further into the wilderness trying to find a cave or clearing where she could deal with the golden glow emitting from her** **stomach**." Read Athena.

"That sounds like Lupa," Hera mused.

"No! My friend is an eternal maiden! She would never have a child!" Artemis protested. I raised my eyebrow at the three immortals on the couch, and Perseus raised his hand in a 'you'll find out soon' way.

**Eventually** **the pain became too intense and she settled herself beside a tall tree. The wolf began to glow with a blinding light until in the place of the wolf stood a beautiful woman with noticeably large canine teeth whenever her mouth opened. **

"That's Lupa!" Artemis exclaimed in disbelief. She couldn't believe that her friend was giving up her maiden vow.

"It is," Perseus confirmed with a nod. Zoe put her head on his shoulder, and Artemis jumped.

"Zoe, what are you doing with that male?" She demanded. Perseus shook his head at Zoe.

"Go ahead," he said. Zoe smiled at him.

"Perseus and I are married."

A bolt of black energy stopped everyone from complaining, and they continued to read.

**h no experience of her own she did not know what she should be doing and prayed for a miracle to save her from the misery of her first childbirth. While she had raised many children of Rome such as Romulus and Remus she has never dealt with childbirth, especially not the birth of a godling.**

"The child is a godling?" Athena interrupted herself. I noticed Ares begin to fidget on his throne. _I must have imagined it..._

"Who's child is it?" Zeus asked.

"It doesn't say," Athena replied. My sister hated not knowing.

**As she waited a wall of darkness appeared and out stepped a man around 6 ft 6 with pitch black eyes that seemed to radiate intense power. As the man approached her, her vision became blurry and she could feel herself losing consciousness. Before the darkness overtook her, the man knelt beside her and said, "Relax mother of Rome, I am her to help ease you of the burden inflicted on you".**

"Chaos," Artemis realized. "I wonder what he wants with Lupa and her child?" She frowned, thinking.

**When the wolf goddess awoke she found herself in a pure white room with no memory of how she got there. She began to worry what had become of her child and the man who showed up claiming to be there to help her.**

"No, Chaos would never do anything wrong," Thalia said wistfully.

"You can go visit him after this is over." Zoe suggested, and Thalia brightened.

**As if hearing her unasked question, the man stepped into the room through a door that she swore had not been there a moment ago. In his arms, wrapped in a blanket was a small young baby boy with jet black hair, red eyes and familiar large canines protruding just barely out of his small infant mouth. **

Artemis gasped. I frowned, because I knew of only one immortal with red eyes. _But what would Lupa find charming in Ares?_

Athena also seemed to realize who the father was, because her eyes widened and she continued reading.

**The man walked near the bed, snapped his fingers and produced a chair where he sat down with the infant still cradled in his arms.**

**"I know what has brought you here and this child into the world", the man said. "I know what that bastard war god did to you**

"What?!" Artemis leapt up in fury and began shooting arrows at the war god. I was horrified at what Ares had done.

_How could he rape an innocent woman, much less an eternal maiden?_

Perseus glared at his father, and Ares shrunk into his throne. A shadow wrapped around the throne, and it disappeared. I smiled as Ares fell to the floor, looking up when I heard that Athena had continued reading.

**and for that I am sorry." The Goddess Lupa began to feel tears welling up in her eyes but quickly regained her composure like a true Roman and steeled her nerves enough to ask the question she thought she knew the answer to but had to be sure.**

"What question?" Of course, that was my brother Zeus.

"Maybe if you listened, you'd know!" Hera snapped.

**"Who are you?" She asked with conviction in her voice but also apprehension as she knew if this is who she thought it was this man could wipe out an entire galaxy with a snap of his fingers.**

**"Why I believe your know the answer to that Lupa, I am Chaos the creator, the first primordial.**

"Aha! I knew it!" Artemis declared.

**As for your next question, I am here to help you and your son but first I must ask you, what it is you want to do with your child?" Chaos asked in a kind tone but laced with curiosity about her thoughts on the child.**

**"I do not blame the child for what happened to me, despite him being the son of that bastard war god; he is still my child, my only child, my own flesh and blood. I would raise the child but I do not think it is possible. **

"Why? He would make a good Olympian," I asked the counsel. The others stared at me uneasily.

"He is too powerful. He must be destroyed." Zeus declared. To answer my question, Athena continued reading.

**If Jupiter or the other Olympians found out about him they would most likely try to kill him before he could be a threat. **

"True to your word, _Zeus. _However, you've never succeeded." Perseus said coolly, and I suddenly had a feeling as to who the son was.

**The child will not be able to find a place in this world. He will be an outcast, he will not be accepted in Rome as he is half Greek, and the Greeks will not accept a child of Rome into their world either." Lupa stated with worry in her eyes. "The bastard did not even have the decency to assault me in his Roman form, he chose to rape me as Ares **

**"**WHAT?!" Artemis threw herself on Ares, but Zoe pulled her back.

"Lady Artemis, Ares has already been... how shall we say this... neutered."**(AN: You know, preventing an animal from having babies?)**

Artemis laughed coldly. "By whom?"

Zoe didn't miss a beat. "By Perseus."

"Can I just read?" Athena snapped, beginning again after the rude interruptions.

**as if to add insult to the injury he inflicted on me."**

**"Does the war god know of the child in any way?" Chaos asked as he took in the information provided by the Goddess.**

**"No. I have avoided him and the other Gods and Goddesses the last few months to ensure they did not notice a change in my aura that could tip him off to the pregnancy." Lupa replied.**

"That is wise," Athena cut herself off. " The gods would know at once that something was off."

**Chaos was silent for several minutes as he seemed to be thinking over the best route to take concerning the child. "If you wish it, I will raise the child here, in the void, as if he were my own." He said as he looked at Lupa to see her reaction.**

"Is it you?" I asked Perseus. He gave me an almost imperceptible nod, and smiled. _So that's why his eyes are so strange, and not red._

**"So I will never see my child again?" Lupa asked with worry in her voice.**

"No," Artemis cut in.

**"That is up to you my dear Goddess. I can give you a way to contact me which will allow you to visit him here or I can use my powers to hide him from other gods and allow him to come to earth the visit you for short periods to time when he is older. I do not wish to take your child from you but as you know he is a God. A very powerful one at that as he is the first child of the mother of Rome and the first child of the Greek Olympian God of War. I will teach him about his powers and abilities as I raise him but he will also gain more powers and abilities from my blessing. I would also like to adopt him as my son and make him a true son of the creator. I will not hide his origins from him either. When he is old enough I will explain to him the facts surrounding his creation that led him to my care." Chaos replied.**

"So _that's _why you only have Chaos's powers!" Zoe exclaimed.

"Ares has no powers," Perseus retorted.

"Valid point."

**"I must tell you that eventually he will return to earth as I have foreseen a day far in the future when the survival of the Gods will depend on him. That day is still far into the future but when it comes he will be the only hope for the survival of Olympus." Chaos said looking deep into Lupa's golden eyes for her reaction to his proposal.**

**"I see no other option for my son's survival. I will be forever in your debt Lord Chaos." The wolf goddess replied sadly as she looked at her son.**

**"You owe me nothing, I am more than happy to help a true hearted goddess like yourself. I will make sure no one learns that you are no longer a maiden so as to be sure you are not cast out of your home." Chaos kindly responded.**

**"Now what would you like to name your son?" Chaos asked.**

**"Perseus." Lupa replied looking deep into her son's eyes, which she could not help but notice were so much like her rapists; which brought anger and fury into her heart but despite the reminder of the child's father, she looked at her son with a combination of love and sadness. Love for her only child and sadness for the fact she cannot raise him herself. "He will need luck on his side just like the Greek hero Perseus had, for his return to earth."**

"Luckily, luck has been on my side... for the most part."

**"Very well, from this day forward he will be known as Lord Perseus, son of Lupa, the mother of Rome and adopted son of Chaos the creator" Chaos stated before he began to chant quietly in a language Lupa could not understand. After he stopped chanting, Perseus began to glow the darkest black imaginable. When the glowing died down, Lupa looked at her son and gasped when she saw his eyes, they were a glowing mix of black, and silver, and pulsed with power similar to the eyes of Chaos.**

_So that's why he has black and silver eyes..._

**Chaos handed the baby to Lupa who smiled a fanged smile at the baby boy in her arms.**

**"I thought it would be better if the child had no physical reminder of the war god." Chaos stated as he looked at the happy face of the wolf goddess as she looked at her son.**

"It would help..." Artemis admitted.

**"Thank your Lord Chaos. Thank you for everything you have done for us." Lupa said.**

**"It was my pleasure as I now have a new son of my own as well." Chaos replied with a smile.**

"That's the end of the chapter," Athena announced.


	3. Chapter 3

**A giant of a man stood at the entrance of the garden, Golden Apple of Immortality in hand as he walked out of the garden having completed his 11th labor. **

**"**Heracles," Perseus, Zoe, and Artemis growled. I frowned. _What could the legendary hero have done to make them so mad?_

Apparently, Zeus had the same thought, because he frowned. "What is wrong with my son?" Perseus glared at him.

"Do you consider it proper to rape women whenever you feel like it? No. Or do you..." He left the scentence hangng.

**In his other hand was a sword, celestial bronze with an inscription written in Greek, ****_Anaklusmos._**** Waiting near the entrance was a beautiful woman with long silky black hair, dark eyes that resembled volcanic rocks and a slightly upturned nose.**

"So that's what you thought I looked like?" Zoe smirked. Perseus laughed.

"Yep."

**"Where are you going next Heracles?" The young woman asked the giant of a man.**

"Him." Artemis hissed angrily.

**"I am off to complete my final task so that I can return to my home." He replied while looking off in the distance. "Thank you for your help and the sword but I really must be going now".**

"_What?!" _I gasped. Perseus nodded solemnly.

"He was about to leave her there." The flames rose higher as I clenched my fists.

**The woman seemed taken aback by his response. "Can I accompany you on your journey or at least until the next town? Now that I have aided you in retrieving an apple I will be considered a traitor by my family. I will be banished from the garden and have nowhere to go now." She stated looking scared of the fact he was planning on leaving her here.**

"I was," Zoe admitted.

**"I am sorry pretty one but my journeys are no place women, I cannot protect you while we travel and I must complete my tasks quickly, I cannot afford to have you slow me down on my journey." Heracles responded as he looked out to the west with a smug smile on his face. **

"I never saw that smile." Zoe glowered. Perseus frowned.

"I did."

**The woman simply turned away with a heartbroken and lost look on her face as well as clear betrayal in her eyes. She had helped him achieve his task and he would not even let her accompany him to the next town. Having spent her entire life in her home she did not know what she could do on her own and feared being left abandoned and unwanted in the wilderness.**

"Boys are all like that," Artemis grumbled. "Heartless."

Zoe shook her head. "Not quite all." Perseus smiled.

**As the son of Zeus walked away without a second thought, the woman collapsed on the ground trying understand the gravity of the situation she was in. She would be banished, stripped of her immortality with nowhere to go and no one to go to. No one will want to help the daughter of a Titan. She had put her trust in this man only to lose everything in the end. She had even given him her sword, the one she created using her power given to her by her mother the sea goddess Pleione.**

_So that's her mother, _I thought. Athena sat up straighter, and raised her eyebrows.

**Unknown to either of the two, a young man with long jet black hair and black and silver eyes that seemed to pulse with power had watched the entire scene play out from the beginning. **

"So that's how long you were there!" The huntress cried out triumphantly, and Perseus shrugged.

"It should've been obvious. I don't attack people for no reason."

**He watched as Heracles had used the girl's feelings for him to convince her to betray her family and now he planned on abandoning her now that his task was complete. The young man's eyes burned with rage so bright he struggled to contain his true form**.

"Now that would be bad," Apollo joked. "You would've killed the love of your life." Artemis smacked him across the face.

**After spending a couple minutes calming himself he decided he would disobey his father's order to stay away from any situation that would bring attention to himself. He knew the circumstances of his birth and what had brought him to his adoptive father whom he loved very deeply. He just couldn't stand to watch someone with power use that power over another in a cruel way, especially against a woman. **

I noticed Artemis frown at the book, wondering how a boy could think that way.

**Without thinking of the consequences of his actions****,**

"Of course," Zoe smirked.

** he teleported himself behind the giant of a man without the man noticing; after making sure his enchanted hood was up so as to make sure the hero would not see his face he decided he would dish out a little justice himself.**

**Quietly drawing out two throwing knives he waited for Heracles to near a tree before throwing the two knives. They flew by the hero so close that they left two deep gashes on each of his cheeks before imbedding themselves in the tree. **

"How dare you!" Zeus thundered. Perseus rolled his eyes, and gestured at Poseidon to keep reading.

**Before Heracles could fully turn around Perseus was already behind him with his fist cocked back waiting to unload on the arrogant fool.**

**"Who dares attack a son of Z….." was all Heracles got out before Perseus knocked him out cold with a powerful punch to the jaw.**

"Really? As if people would be afraid of _him_," I heard Zoe mutter.

**As Perseus looked down at the son of Zeus he saw the two deep gashes on his face along with a broken jaw and thought to himself that the scars would serve as a great reminder to the oh so great hero Heracles of his trip to the Garden of the Hesperides. He also saw the bronze sword glowing in the scabbard of Heracles and deciding this man had no right to wield the sword the woman had given him took the sword and left the now unconscious "hero" to wonder who had knocked him out before he could even turn around.**

"Awesome! Finally some action!" Ares cheered. I glared at him, and a second after that Perseus flicked his hand and Ares flew across the room and smashed into the wall.

**Unknown to Perseus, the young woman had watched the encounter from the beginning and was now staring at the son of Lupa with wonder and fear. Noticing that the ordeal had not gone unseen he decided he would talk to the distraught young woman, return her sword and help her if he could.**

"Good," Artemis stated. She seemed to have put away her ill feelings for men for now.

**"….Wh who are y you?" The woman stuttered out as she watched the young god approach her. As he lowered his hood she couldn't help notice the large canines poking out of the young man's mouth as he was about to speak. She was concerned he was some kind of monster but considering her situation she decided she had nowhere to run so her best option would be to listen as he answered her question.**

_Wise choice, _Athena seemed to be thinking, as she nodded in approval.

**"My name is not important at the moment. I believe this belongs to you." Perseus replied to the woman still sitting on the ground, tears still visible on her face as he handed her the sword, hilt first. He watched as the sword retracted back into a hairpin at her touch.**

"Just a question," Hades interrupted. "If Perseus here touches it, does it shrink into a hairpin?" Perseus chuckled.

"No, it turns into a pen."

**"Why did you attack him?" She asked as she began to relax. Despite the vast amount of power the man radiated, she sensed something calming and peaceful about his aura and in his features.**

"Really?" Perseus asked. Zoe nodded.

**"I watched the entire scene between the two of you from the moment he walked into the garden. I saw the way you trusted him only for him to abandon you once you helped him complete the task." He responded with a look of disgust.**

**"Ok, but that still doesn't explain why you attacked him… you do not know me and yet you came to my defense… why?" She asked as she looked at him warily but also with appreciation and curiosity.**

**"I despise people with power who use it against others, especially against a woman…. I have experiences in that kind of situation and will not stand by and watch it happen if I can do something to stop it." Perseus replied as he thought of his mother and the first time they had spoken about the circumstances of his birth. He remembered the pain and anguish in his mother's eyes when the topic came up.**

"I can imagine," Artemis muttered. Perseus smiled sadly at her, and she sat back in her throne.

**Zoe looked at the young man for a moment as she tried to detect any deceit or lies in his statement. Seeing no sign of deception she decided it would probably be best to thank him for his help.**

"You didn't have to," Perseus said gently. Zoe smiled.

"I wanted to, silly."

**"Well thank you for helping me and retrieving my sword…. My name is Zoe… Zoe Nightshade" Zoe stated as she thought about the pain and hurt in his eyes when he mentioned his own experiences. Perseus looked at the young woman with sympathy and another feeling could not identify as he contemplated what he should say next. After staring into her beautiful eyes **

"You thought I had beautiful eyes?" Zoe raised her eyebrow.

**for a moment he decided to tell her his name. This is the first experience he had had outside of the void with anyone besides his mother and he longed for someone to talk to outside of his parents and his father servants and advisors.**

**"If I tell you my name, will you swear on the river Styx to never tell anyone who I am or anything about our meeting?" He asked his stomach turning into knots as he thought how angry his mother and father would be if they discovered he revealed himself to someone, let alone telling them his name. But the thing was Perseus had never had a friend before. Although he did not know her, there was something about her that made him feel like she could be trusted.**

**Zoe looked at the man apprehensively as she weighed the pros and cons of swearing to keep his secret. Realizing that he most likely wouldn't tell her his name and leave her alone once again if she did not swear, she decided to agree. "I Zoe Nightshade, swear on the river Styx to tell no one your name or anything about our meeting."**

"Why did she have to swear on the styx?" Artemis asked. Perseus grinned.

"Because my father and your hunters would kill me."

**Thunder boomed overhead, sealing the oath.**

**"Alright, my name is Perseus. But you can call me Percy if you want." He said with a fanged smile.**

**"Who are you parents?" Zoe asked assuming it was a simple question. She could tell he contained immense power but assumed he was just a powerful demi-god. She became confused when Perseus immediately tensed up.**

**"That is a much larger question than you may realize." He replied with a weary look on his face.**

** But after looking into her eyes again he decided he would tell her his story, omitting the names of those involved of course. She had sworn on the Styx to reveal nothing of their meeting and he doubted she valued a story over her own life, so it was probably safe to tell her.**

**"The story of my parents is not for the faint of hearts, but if you wish to know then I will tell you. Sixty years ago, my mother was raped by a god who was more powerful than she was as a minor goddess. Unsure of what to do she fled into the wilderness to deal with my childbirth as she knew if found I probably would have been killed after my birth. As she fled into the woods looking for safety she ran out of time and collapsed from pain. As she was losing consciousness a man appeared and said he was there to help. The next thing she remembered was waking up in a room alone. Shortly after the man walked in with me in his arms and said he would help keep me a secret and wanted to become my adoptive father. My mother agreed and my father has raised me as his own for the past sixty years. I stumbled upon your garden on my way home from visiting my mother." Perseus stated sadly as relived the story of his birth with a couple tears tracing down his face of the thought of his mother's suffering.**

Artemis sighed heavily, probably thinking about how her friend had felt.

**Noticing the questioning look in Zoe's eyes, Perseus quickly added, "My birth father is a powerful man who would kill to keep his actions a secret. I haven't said their names for your safety as well as my mothers. If someone found out what you knew, your life as well as hers could be in danger."**

**Zoe stared at Perseus for a moment taking in his words, when she noticed his tears she reached forward and hugged the young god. After a few moments she pulled back unsure if she was out of line to hug a god, but when she looked at him she saw nothing but appreciation and gratitude in with black and silver eyes.**

**Deciding to change the subject off of himself Perseus asked his own question, "So what will you do now that you cannot stay here anymore?"**

"The hunters," Zoe answered the unspoken question.

**Zoe's expression changed from concerned to anxious and depressed, "I…I don't know. I have nowhere to go now. I'm sure my family already knows what I have done as I can sense I am no longer immortal. My immortality was connected to me being a Hesperide. Now that I am banished I will have to find my own way in the world until the end of my days." She said as tears began to flow freely down her face.**

**As Perseus watched her cry he went with instinct and immediately embraced Zoe as she cried freely into his shoulder. After a few moments her sobbing began to die down as Perseus rubbed her back silently letting her free herself of her grief. As she calmed Perseus knew who could not abandon her like the arrogant hero had, who happened to still be unconscious a couple hundred yards away. Thinking quickly he decided he knew of only one way for Zoe to find a home and also regain her immortality.**

**"Zoe, I know of a place you can go where you will find a home, a family, and regain your immortality." He said as he released her from the hug but held onto shoulders so he could look into her dark eyes.**

**"If I could I would take you with me, but as I told you, my life is a very well-guarded secret and my father will not allow me to bring anyone into my home. Believe me, I would gladly take you with me but I am sure my father is already aware of our encounter and I can't imagine how angry he will be with me. Regardless, so far you are the only friend I have ever had, if you consider me a friend that is, and I will not abandon you. I am going to send you into the camp of the Hunters of Artemis where I know they will offer you a home if you tell them your story. But please I beg of you do not reveal anything about our encounter as it will only cause problems. One day I swear to you I will tell you my whole story. But I cannot do that today." Perseus said as he continued to stare into Zoe's eyes.**

**As they continued to stare into each other's eyes, Zoe did the last thing Perseus ever expected her to do; she leaned up and kissed him. It was a short, soft and gentle kiss but it immediately sent a spark through both of them.**

"You had a relationship!" Artemis screeched. "You broke your vow!"

Zoe shook her head. "I did not make the vow when I kissed him, Mi'lady." Artemis shot up.

"But you retained the relationship without my knowledge!" Zoe shrugged.

"He is the only man you approved of, Lady Artemis. You were more than happy when we got engaged."

**As they broke the kiss, Zoe blushed a deep shade of red and Perseus followed suit.**

**"Thank you for everything you've done for me today Percy." Zoe said shyly as she looked at her feet.**

**"I would do it again in a heartbeat." Perseus said warmly as pulled Zoe's head up so she would look at him. "But I wouldn't mention that kiss around the hunters though." Perseus said with a chuckle as he looked at her.**

"Right," Artemis muttered, apparently still stung that one of her hunters was dating.

**Before Perseus could say anything else, Zoe reached into her hair and pulled out the hairpin. She handed it to Perseus who looked at it with confusion. When it touched his hand it elongated into the sword he has just retrieved for her from Heracles.**

**"I want you to have the sword. I made a mistake giving it to ****_him._**

"Yes, you did," I glared into the fire.

**It would make me very happy to know that it went to a good man, one that I trust." Zoe said with a warm smile.**

**"I am honored to carry your sword." Perseus said returning the warm smile.**

**Perseus waved his hand and a wolf pendant appeared in his hand. It was silver and attached to a beautiful silver necklace.**

** "If you are ever in need of help, rub the pendant and pray to me and I will come to your aide. Or if you are away from the hunt and want to talk I should be able to sneak off for a little while and come see you." Perseus told her. "If the hunt asks you, tell them a woman who you met after you were exiled gave it to you. Tell them she is the one who sent you to the hunt. She is a friend who is close to Lady Artemis; she will back up the story of how you ended up in camp as well."**

**In response Zoe just gave him a bone crushing hug. "Thank you." He heard her say before she stepped back with a grateful smile on her face.**

**When she closed her eyes she felt herself disappear. When she opened them, she was standing in the middle of a camp surrounding by silver tents with teenage girls all in silver parkas with bows strapped to their backs.**

_The hunters, _I thought.

**Perseus on the other hand opened up what appeared to be vortex before stepping in to face the consequences of his actions today. Although he was worried, the fact he had helped Zoe made it a little less** **bad.**

"How sweet" Aphrodite squealed, and Perseus shrank back, rolling his eyes. I clapped my hand to my forehead. Aphrodite was nice and all, but she really liked to squeal. Really loudly.

**The butterflies in his stomach told him he would make sure that it was not their only meeting.**

"It wasn't," Perseus muttered, and Zoe smiled at him. Artemis stared at them with a strange expression on her face, and seemed to not believe her eyes.

**Unknown to Perseus, in the throne room of the Primordial Gods, Chaos had watched the entire day unfold with a proud smile on his face as he watched his son save someone from hardship and even got his first kiss from a beautiful woman.**

"Really, Dad?" Perseus groaned, but he was laughing all the same. Zoe looked flushed from the fact that Chaos had called her beautiful, and I studied her. _She is rather pretty, _I mused. _Could be a 'model'. _


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I do not own PJO or Lord Perseus Child Of Rome. All rights go to Anaklusmos14 and Rick Riordan.**

**Hunters of Artemis **" Read Hades."

**Since that fateful day five hundred years ago, Zoe Nightshade's life had taken a 180 degree turn. Finally being outside the Garden of the Hesperides, Zoe had travelled the world with the Hunters of Artemis. Her fellow hunters had replaced the family she lost she was banished from the garden, the hunters were her sisters and Artemis had taken over the motherly role in Zoe's life that she lost long before she was banished. **

Zoe nodded. "You know, most of the hunters think of you as a second mother, right?" Artemis stared at her huntress.

"Thank you."

**When she appeared in the middle of the hunter's camp all those years ago, she was first looked at with fear. But after speaking to Lady** Artemis** and telling her the story of meeting Heracles and then his betrayal she was welcomed with open arms into the hunters. **

"We never decline young maidens," Artemis murmured. I smiled at the huntress, and she sighed.

**When Artemis asked how she simply appeared inside the hunter's camp, she had told the story Perseus had given her, that she met a woman after her exile who had recommended she seek out Artemis and even transported her into the hunter's camp for her. At the mention of the woman Artemis had just smiled but Zoe thought she heard the name Lupa as Artemis smiled. Regardless of who Artemis thought the woman was, Zoe had never forgotten the man that saved her life all those years ago. In the past 500 years Zoe had only had two chances to contact Perseus as the hunt was constantly moving from one hunt to another. Both times Perseus had come to see her when she had prayed to him. Although after each visit Zoe was just more and more baffled at the power he possessed.**

"It doesn't change anything, you know." Perseus smiled at Zoe, and I opened my palm. The throne room filled with comfortable, warm heat as the flames leaped higher.

**Instead of teleporting to her he appeared to walk out of some kind of portal of darkness.**

**His visits were brief but while he was there he spent most of the time listening attentively to Zoe tell him about her adventures but told her very little of what he had been doing in all that time. Regardless of how secretive and guarded he was about his life, Zoe had no doubt she trusted him completely. When with the hunt Zoe had developed the man-hating tendencies that were encouraged and preached within the hunters. It was not an act with Zoe either, she was a man-hater along with the rest of the hunters. She had witnessed the horrors that men commit and had killed her share of men along with the rest of the hunters. **

Artemis looked up, interested. "Really?"

Zoe nodded. "Most men are selfish bastards."

**Perseus was just her exception to the rule. She still thought about the kiss they shared all those years ago and each time she did she couldn't keep a blush off her face.**

When Perseus smirked playfully at her, Zoe smacked him across the face.

"Oh, come on!" he whined, rubbing his cheek.

**She knew deep down inside her heart she cared for him. She just kept those feelings buried as she had made an oath to Artemis that she intended to keep. Although she had only talked to Perseus twice since joining the hunt she could have sworn she had seen a midnight black wolf watching her sometimes during their hunts. It seemed to have the exact same color eyes as Perseus, a beautiful mix of black and silver. But when she looked through the hunt's wolves afterwards she could never find the wolf she thought she saw.**

"He's a very loyal man," Artemis murmured, almost to herself, but the flames brought the sound to my ears.

**Zoe was currently in the middle of a mission with two of her sisters. They had been sent by Artemis to track down a couple hellhounds that had escaped the hunters earlier in the day. With Zoe becoming the lieutenant of the hunt last year she was often sent with a few hunters to track down the few monsters that managed to escape the hunters. They had split up to track where the hellhounds had separated with Zoe following one trail and her two sisters following the other. But Zoe had lost the trail of the hellhound she was following which was very strange as she was one of the best trackers in the hunt.**

** As she searched for the trail again, Zoe heard a voice that made her blood turn cold. A voice she had prayed she would never hear again for the rest of her life.**

Ares leaned forward. "Fight, Fight!" Two arrows hit him in the crotch, one silver and one black.

"Who is it?" Artemis asked curiously, but warily.

"You'll see," was the guarded answer.

**"Well, well, well…. Looks like the titan girl has taken refuge with my dearest half-sister." The voice mockingly said from behind her.**

**When Zoe turned around she saw the one man she hated most in her entire existence walking from behind a tree and into the diminishing sunlight.**

**"Heracles." Zoe spat. She knew he had been made into a minor god after his death, she had just prayed to never see him without her mistress at her side.**

"I would have skewered him," Artemis mumbled angrily. "That arrogant bastard." Her forehead puckered up, and her expression turned worried. "Did he hurt you?"

Zoe's expression gave it all away.

**"Long time no see pretty one." He replied sarcastically.**

**"Not long enough." Zoe said as she tried to send a silent prayer to her mistress. She knew it was pointless though. Artemis had gone to Olympus for a council meeting and then had to drive her moon chariot and would not return until the next morning. Zoe figured Heracles had planned it that way. She just prayed her two sisters were close enough to hear the conversation and come to her aide.**

"They wouldn't," Artemis said softly. "They would be too focused on the hunt." She wondered how Zoe had gotten out of this mess.

**As he walked towards her, she could see the angry look in his eyes. She knew she was in trouble.**

**"I don't know how you managed to attack me as I was leaving your garden, but I promise you will pay dearly for the reminder you left behind." He sneered gesturing to the twin scars on each of his cheeks.**

"That wasn't me," Zoe mumbled. Perseus wrapped his arm around his shoulders.

"If I'd known that you'd have to pay for that, I'm sorry. I'd have never done it." Zoe shook her head.

"it's okay, Percy. He got what he deserved." The two smirked at each other, as if recalling a humorous memory.

**As he approached her, Zoe pulled out two hunting knives but she knew she stood no chance against a god. He lunged toward her with impossible speed and grabbed her left arm. Before he could grab her right she managed to make a good size gash from his forearm to his elbow, golden ichor flowing freely from the wound. He let loose a sting of angry curses before knocking both hunting knives out of her hands and smacking her hard enough to split the skin on her cheek below her eye and make her fly back a few feet.**

"That-" Artemis was unable to speak properly as her face turned red with rage. "When I get my hands on him..." She cursed rapidly in Ancient Greek and muttered things under her breath. The only words I caught were: _Darn, bastard, boil, and cheese fondue._

**"For that you will pay titan spawn. After I'm done with you I don't think you'll be pure enough for the hunters anymore." He spat.**

"What did he do?!" Artemis leapt up and grabbed Zoe's shoulders. "Did he..." Any hostility the goddess had once harbored towards her huntress vanished. "Tell me!"

Zoe smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine, Mi'lady." All the goddesses in the room sighed with relief, and Hades picked up the book and continued to read.

**Zoe's eyes widened in fear and she was the most terrified she had ever been in her life. She saw the hungry look in his eyes as he skulked towards her. She had heard about such a look from the horror stories she heard new huntresses tell when they finally opened up to their new family.**

**She looked around widely for anything that could help her escape but saw nothing.**

"_How_ in _Hades_ did you get away?" Artemis gasped. Zoe smiled, but did not answer.

**That is until one of the last rays of sunlight reflected off the silver necklace she still wore around her neck. She grabbed the pendant, closed her eyes and prayed he would hear her plea for help.**

**As Heracles neared her, he pulled a knife out of his belt and said with a smug smile, "How about I make a few improvements to that pretty little titan face of yours first? We can have some fun after that."**

"Him..." Artemis clenched the sides of her throne tightly, and gripped her bow with the other hand.

**Zoe felt herself tearing up as she knew if she somehow managed to survive this night it would still ruin her life. As Heracles swung his blade toward her face, she closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to come.**

**It never did.**

"Huh?"

**Instead, she heard the clang of metal against itself. As she opened one eye to see what happened, she saw a glowing blade right in front of her face. It was inches from her face, but she saw Greek letters that formed one word.**

**Anaklusmos.**

Artemis smiled at Perseus for the first time.

**She looked up to see Perseus holding back Heracles blade. She scrambled back a few feet to safety. She looked up at Heracles and saw such a surprised and terrified look on his face that she would have laughed had she not be minutes from being maimed, raped, and possibly killed.**

**When she looked at Perseus, she couldn't help but flinch at the look on his face as he stared at Heracles. His eyes were literal flaming orbs of black flames with silver tips.**

"That's scary," Ares shuddered.

"Ni, it's cool," Apollo and Hermes corrected. Aphrodite smiled seductively.

"No, it's hot- ow!" She yelped in pain as an arrow sliced through her arm.

**Perseus quickly pushed back Heracles and went on the offensive. His strikes were a blur to Zoe's eyes. All she could see was the blur of the glowing Anaklumos and the golden ichor of Heracles fly through the air as Perseus continued to make cuts all over his body. As Perseus stepped back Heracles dropped to his knees, golden ichor pouring out dozens of cuts all over his body. His body began then to glow and Zoe quickly realized he was trying to take his true godly form to teleport away. **

"Don't let him get away," Artemis yelped. "He deserves so muh more!" Her expression darkened with fury.

**She closed her eyes so she wouldn't be incinerated but suddenly he seemed to stop glowing brighter. Zoe opened an eye to see Heracles frozen in place, literally. He glowed dimly but was as still as a statue, not moving an inch. She looked around as noticed there were no sounds anywhere. Time had literally stopped.**

"That is _awesome!_" Hermes laughed. "We could go pranking together, and-" He faltered form the _look_ that Artemis, Athena and Hera gave him.

**She quickly looked for Perseus. She saw him calmly standing a few feet away from her. Forgetting the fact that time appeared to have stopped she launched herself at him. He caught her in a hug as she broke down into hysterics. He just held her as she sobbed hard into his chest. She had never been so scared in her life, and for the second time, he was her savior.**

**Once she had calmed down after several minutes of crying hard, she pulled back and looked into Perseus' face to see that the rage he had seconds ago was gone as he just looked at her with worry and care.**

"Awwwwwww!" Aphrodite shrieked. I covered my ears. Aphrodite was nice and all, but she tended to overreact.

**He brought up his hand and gently wiped away the tears that were still coming down her face with his thumb. Despite the situation she still felt the electric shock course through her body at his touch.**

"That's so sweet!" Aphrodite cooed. I glanced at Artemis, but she looked deep in thought.

**At his touch she calmed immensely. She had never felt safer than at that moment still in his arms. She looked back over her shoulder at Heracles to still see him frozen in place.**

**She turned back to Perseus only to see a sly smile on his face.**

**"H..H..How?" She stuttered out. Despite the situation and the fact that if this were any other scenario she would be terrified by the fact time had stopped, she wasn't. She just felt safe.**

**Perseus looked down at her still smiling, "I told you my birth father was a powerful man. I just didn't mention my real father makes him look like a mosquito on the wall in comparison.**

"Yes, he does," Perseus muttered.

**Zoe's eyes widened comically at that comment. She had always assumed his birth father was an Olympian, and she still did, but now dozens of questions ran through her mind. **

"My _birth_ father-" there, he zapped Ares, "Is an Olympian. My real father is not." Perseus scowled.

**She wanted to ask them all but stopped herself. He had told her he would tell her his story when he could and she decided to respect his wishes and not ask.**

"That was wise," Perseus admitted.

**Instead she turned back to him and wrapped him in another bone crushing hug. They stayed there holding each other for several minutes, just enjoying the moment. Eventually Perseus released her and stepped back smiling. Zoe couldn't help but blush at his smile. Although she still had no idea why he had such large canines, she couldn't help but think it made his smile even more handsome.**

Zoe blushed as red as a tomato.

**"Thank you. You saved my life. You saved my dignity. If you hadn't come, I wouldn't have been able to live with the things he planned to do to me." Zoe said sincerely.**

**At those words, Perseus' eyes caught fire again. But they quickly extinguished themselves and he looked over at Heracles' frozen form with an evil smirk.**

**"Well I left him with a couple scars last time we met. Perhaps this time we outta leave him with a couple less things." Perseus said still smirking at the frozen god.**

Artemis surveyed Perseus approvingly.

**Zoe looked confused for a moment before her eyes widened and she broke out into an evil grin that would have made Artemis proud.**

"It does."

**Perseus made a gesture with his hand and a black vortex opened behind Heracles. He nodded to Zoe who picked up her bow, notched two super sharp celestial bronze arrows and sent them straight into the oh so great Heracles' crotch.**

"Score!" Apollo shouted, confused as to why Artemis wasn't slapping him. He turned, and saw Artemis grinning.

**Despite the immense satisfaction Perseus got from watching Heracles' receive what he clearly deserved, he couldn't stop himself from flinching at the sight of the celestial bronze clearly removing and damaging Heracles manhood beyond repair. He was sure not even Apollo would be able to repair all the damage done.**

"Even if you could, you won't," Artemis hissed threateningly. Apollo nodded.

**Zoe caught sight of Perseus flinching and let loose a sting of giggles. Perseus playfully glared at her before beginning to laugh himself.**

**After the laughter died down, Perseus walked up to Heracles and sent him flying into the portal with a shattered nose with an extremely hard kick to the face. Once through the portal Perseus closed it with a snap of his fingers and turned back to Zoe.**

**"Where did you send him?" She asked with an amused smile on her face.**

**"In the north, there is a place where the power of the Olympian Gods does not reach. He is currently at the farthest point from where the power of the gods returns." He replied with an evil smirk. "He has a 3 day hike before he can use his powers to teleport to Olympus."**

"Double score!" Hermes laughed, and I giggled at the thought of the 'great hero' and his hike.

**Zoe couldn't help herself from breaking down into a fit of laughter at the thought of Heracles trekking through the snow for three day holding his manhood.**

**Once she calmed herself down, she saw Perseus sit down on a log a few feet away and stare off into the wilderness. Zoe walked over and did the same, joining him in his gazing into the wooded forest. After a few moments of silence, she turned to look at him. She didn't know what to say, so she just went with instinct and grabbed his hand, lacing her small slender fingers through his much larger ones.**

**Perseus never broke his gaze into the woods, still staring clearly deep in thought. But she did notice a gentle smile creep onto his face.**

**After a few more moments of silence, he turned to her sadly and said, "I still cannot tell you my story. I wish I could but it is not time yet."**

**Although disappointed Zoe's smile never wavered, "I understand. But just so you know, when you are ready to talk about it, I'm here."**

"That was very sweet of you," Perseus smiled at Zoe, and there was no mistaking the love in his gaze. I just hoped that Artemis would realize it, too.

**They both continued to sit staring into the woods; hands locked as they enjoyed the peacefulness of the early night. Of course it was extremely peaceful since time had stopped. They could see a squirrel a few yards away frozen in mid jump from a low hanging branch. They both laughed when they noticed the animal suspended in the air.**

Apollo laughed, and Hermes mimed the jump.

**As their laughter died down they both turned to each other at the same time to say something. When they tried to speak they noticed their faces were only inches apart. Instead of speaking they both stared into each other's eyes mesmerized.**

**Zoe knew she shouldn't but she couldn't help herself from leaning forward as he did the same. Before the rational part of her brain could take control again she closed the last bit of distance between them and kissed him.**

**If she thought their first kiss was amazing it was nothing compared to this one. After being soft and gentle it became more heated, hungry, and passionate as Zoe pressed herself against him straining to get closer. She wrapped one hand around his neck as the other wound through his long jet black hair. He wrapped his hands around her waist, one hand gliding under the back of her shirt running his hand along her spine sending pleasurable shivers through her body. Zoe felt his tongue lick the bottom of her lip begging for entrance, which she immediately granted. Their tongues battled for dominance until Perseus gave in letting her explore his mouth. She shivered as her tongue touched his large canines. After 5 minutes, both broke the kiss breathlessly, their foreheads pressed against each other's and huge grins on their faces.**

"AWWWWW!" Zoe covered her ears at Aphrodite's screech, and Perseus grimaced.

"I think my ears just exploded."

**After another minute, Zoe became acutely aware that she had just broken her oath to Lady Artemis to swear off the company of men. A fact she would already know as a hunter's broken oath was something she was immediately informed of when it happened.**

**A terrified look appeared on Zoe's face. Perseus noticed and gently grabbed her chin leading her gaze to above them where she saw they were cocooned in a bubble of darkness. Her expression morphed to one of confusion before he leaned down to her ear and whispered, "Artemis is a very powerful Goddess, but there are always more powerful beings. She will not know what has happened this hides us from her completely."**

"That's why I couldn't see you guys," Artemis muttered, but she no longer looked annoyed.

**Zoe had a shocked expression before shifting into a happy smile, and then finally into a smirk. She grabbed Perseus' face between both her hands and pulled him into another deep kiss. This one was much softer, less hungry, but full of one thing, love.**

**Once they broke apart again they both stared at each other for a moment before Perseus saw the split skin on Zoe's cheek and the black eye beginning to form.**

**He scowled at the thought of her being hit before he gently cupped his hands around her bruise and sent a gentle stream and silver and dark energy into her injury. Her skin knit itself back together and the bruise slowly faded until her skin regained the beautiful coppery tint is usually had.**

"So you can heal?" Apollo asked.

"Yes," Perseus answered, and Apollo grinned.

**When he stopped Zoe raised her hand to her face to feel her skin back to normal and the pain from the bruise was gone. She gave him a radiant smile then leaned forward and pressed her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around his back.**

**They stood together for a few more minutes just enjoying each other's presence until Perseus finally stepped back, allowing the cocoon of darkness to dissipate and smiled sadly before saying, "My time here grows short, I must return home soon to rest as I cannot continue to hold time, it is rather exhausting. But before I go there is something I want to give you."**

**Zoe gave him a questioning look, but he ignored it began to chant quietly in a language Zoe could not pick up on.**

**When he stopped Zoe glowed a faint black and gold before the aura vanished. Once it did, she felt different. Something she had never felt before.**

**Before she could ask Perseus what he had done, he put his index finger to her forward and passed some type of energy into her. When he stopped she gasped.**

**He had given her some control over time as well as the knowledge of how to use it.**

"So you can stop time now?" Artemis asked. Zoe nodded.

**She was speechless.**

**Perseus turned to her and said, "Only use it in an emergency. It would raise a lot of suspicious questions if you suddenly had the ability to control time." He said with a chuckle. "I would hate to have to reveal myself before I'm ready in order to come to your rescue. Although, you will be able to use it in battle to slow time down for you opponents ever so slightly without others noticing to give you and your sisters a slight advantage. But also be careful as it was my full blessing I gave you. I have hidden the power so that Artemis or other gods do not notice but the blessing is very powerful, more powerful than if the Titan Lord Kronos himself had blessed you. You now have power over time equal to that of a minor god of time, if there were one."**

"I don't think there is one." I stated thoughtfully.

**Zoe just stood there dumbfounded, a plethora of emotions racing through her mind; confusion, apprehension, slight fear, but mostly just gratitude and happiness.**

**Without hesitation, she launched herself at Perseus one again pulling him into a tight hug, trying to express how thankful she was for everything he had done for her.**

**In response he just hugged her tightly smiling happily, he truly loved being with her.**

**After a moment they release each other. Zoe couldn't help but ask, "Why did you give me your blessing?"**

**He gave her a look that clearly said, 'Really? You haven't figured it out?'**

**After a few seconds Zoe blushed crimson red. Then she just smiled warmly at him, although her stomach was doing summersaults at the thought of being loved by him.**

**In response he just smiled and said, "I will always come to your aide if you need me, but this way when you're battling monsters with your sisters, you have another tool to keep you safe."**

**Perseus made another hand gesture and a black portal appeared next to him. He then made a pitch black bow appear in his hand.**

**Ignoring the questioning look Zoe gave him, he launched an arrow at a tree 50 yards away. At first it looked like he had missed his target but a poof a golden dust appeared next to the tree.**

"The hellhound she was tracking!" Artemis laughed.

**He looked at her and smiled, "Your tracking skills are quite good, had you not been attacked, you would have found that hellhound in a few more minutes. We wouldn't want you to go back to your mistress without your task completed just because of some asshole minor god."**

**Zoe just looked at him dumbfounded. He laughed and then said, "Try to call a little more often; it gets rather boring with only my father to talk to all the time." Before she could even respond, he began to glow and a few seconds later, Zoe was staring at the wolf she knew she had seen many times in their hunts.**

**Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped when she heard a voice in her head she instantly knew was Perseus' say "Like I said, it gets boring with just my father as company so I like to make sure you are safe even if you do not know I am there."**

**He then gave her a grin that only a wolf could before he jumped through the portal instantly closing it behind him, she heard his voice in her head again chuckling, "Close your mouth before you catch flies. Your sisters are in a clearing about 200 hundred yards to you left."**

**When his voice disappeared again, she felt a sudden jolt. She realized that time had just started again. She also knew exactly what time it was, 8:57 and 36 seconds p.m.**

"Cool!" Hermes grinned.

**Zoe just smiled and took off to her left to find her sisters.**

"That's the end," Hades announced, giving the book to Hephaestus.

**A/N :Hello again, my wonderful readers! Review, please! I'll post the second chapter if I get forty-five reviews! Oh, and I'm starting another story called 'My Immortal.' I know there's a crappy twilight fanfic with the same name, but it'll be out soon! Please read, and tell me which person you want Percy to be with: Hestia, Zoe, Artemis, or Athena! Thanks!**

**-Johanna Night**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N :I do not own PJO or the story.**

**Summer of 2001**, "Read Hephaestus. A flash of silver interrupted them. "Mom? Dad?" Thalia stepped out of the light and narrowed her eyes at Zeus.

"Daughter?" Zeus looked baffled, which was a rare occurrence. "What are you doing here?" To my surprise, Thalia glared at him.

"You are not my father. Percy and Zoe are my parents." she ignored Zeus's glare and sat down besides them.

"You are my daughter! You will obey me!" He threw his bolt, but Perseus stopped time, caught it, and blasted Ares and then Zeus himself.

"You know what? I think I'll keep this," He smirked, handing the bolt to Zoe, who snapped her fingers. A tear appeared, and the bolt disappeared into it. "Continue reading, please."

**Long Island NY**

**Three young half-bloods and a satyr trudged their way out of the woods toward a large hill in an empty section of Long Island. The oldest was a boy no older than 14. The satyr looked to be about the same age while the first girl looked a few years younger, and the last girl and youngest of the group was no more than 7 or 8 years old. There was no sign of any civilization in the area other and a sign off the road that read 'Delphi Strawberry Farm'. On the trail of the three young demi-gods and satyr was a small army of monsters led by the three punishers of the underworld, Alecto, Tisiphone and Megaera, also known as the Furies. There were Hellhounds, Cyclops, Empousai and a few other assorted species of monsters. As they reached the top of the hill, they became surrounded and were forced back to back to defend themselves as the group of monsters inched closer. The older girl seemed to be their main target with little interest in the other three other than maybe as a late night snack.**

"Daughter?!" Zeus panicked. "Are you hurt?!"

"I am not your damn frickin' daughter!"

**A fury who appeared to be the leader stepped forward to address the half-bloods. "Your father thinks he can break an oath he forced my master into without consequences simply because he is King of the Gods. Unfortunately for you Thalia Grace that is not how things work. You will face the consequences of your father's arrogance."**

Hades looked apologetic. "Sorry bout that," the words came out bitter sounding, but I was surprised that he even spoke up.

Thalia looked surprised, too, but pleasantly so. "It's okay," She said carefully.

**Three of the group seemed very confused about the fury's statement while the satyr just trembled as he stared at the fury Alecto.**

**Shaking uncontrollably, the girl took a step away from her three friends. Quietly, under her breath, she told her friends, "When I attack I need you three to run across the top of the hill. Once over the border you will be safe from the monsters."**

"Thalia, no! I will save you!" Zeus looked desperate.

"Save me. Oh, right, you will. You don't give a damn about me."

**The boy, who had looked like the leader, immediately protested saying, "Thalia, there is no way I'm leaving you to fight an army of monsters by yourself. I will fight with you, as a team, like we always do."**

**"Luke, there isn't a lot of time. You need to get Annabeth across the border. You know Grover won't be able to fend off the monsters by himself; you need to protect Annabeth like we promised we would. Once you get across the border, run for help while I hold them off." Thalia stated.**

**Luke looked like he wanted to protest but one look from Thalia's electric blue eyes told him it was not open for discussion. He nodded sadly and grabbed Annabeth's hand before readying himself to sprint across the hill.**

**Thalia took out what looked like a canister of mace before it transformed into a deadly celestial bronze spear. She slapped the bracelet on her wrist which sprang into a terrifying shield with the head of the gorgon Medusa as a design. Even the monsters flinched at the sight of the shield.**

**Thalia took a few deep breaths to calm herself; she was quite sure she would not survive long enough for help to arrive. But she knew it was her that the monsters were after. Whatever it was that her father had done, had brought the monsters to her group, it had not been Annabeth or Luke's parents. She would not let her friends die for something they had no part in.**

I caught my breath, wondering what would happen to the brave girl who was willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of her friends.

**"NOW!" She yelled as she jumped forward slamming her spear into the eye of the nearest Cyclops.**

**Her friends sprinted toward the hill and across the border just as Thalia thought they would be able to do. The monsters were here for her and her alone.**

**As she fought, she could feel herself tiring as there were simply too many monsters for her to ward off alone. She had killed a dozen at least, including the fury Tisiphone. After impaling another Hellhound with her spear, a Cyclops that had snuck behind her and swatted her with the giant club it carried.**

"How are you alive?" Hades stared at her in shock.

**Thalia flew several feet into an Empousa which slammed a dagger into her stomach before knocking her back into the feet of Alecto.**

**Thalia knew her wounds were fatal. Her vision was already starting to blur and she felt herself about the lose consciousness. Refusing to give the monsters the satisfaction of seeing her show fear, she defiantly stared at Alecto, refusing to pass out as the fury prepared to stab a dagger into the young demi-gods heart.**

"Again, how are you alive?" Hades gaped at her. Thalia smiled.

"I'm special."

**Just then a massive crack of thunder shook the skies. The monsters quickly thought they were seconds from being sent to Tartarus for a visit to reform but when the lightning followed the thunder it was not sent at the monsters, but at the daughter of Zeus herself.**

**A split second before the lightning hit her; the bolt was stopped in mid air. The monsters were frozen in place, evil smiles still on their faces as they thought they had succeeded in slaying the demi-god.**

"So untrue," Thalia laughed.

**Out of the shadow of a nearby tree stepped a man, 6 ft 4, large and well defined muscles under his pitch black armor, long and messy jet black hair, pulsing silver and black eyes, and the ever noticeable canines barely poking out of mouth.**

"You could never resist helping someone," Zoe smiled. "It's very loyal of you."

**The man walked toward the demi-god and shook his head. Zeus was willing to break the ancient laws to turn his child into a tree but refused to do so 5 minutes earlier to save his daughter's life. Despite how he felt about Zeus, he knew this demi-god had a good heart even if her father did not. She sacrificed herself so her friends could be safe. He also knew that she needed to survive in order to be the child of the prophecy. If she was not the child, then it would go to the next oldest child of the big three which happened to be a secret daughter of Hades. But Perseus' father had told him that the daughter of Hades would not be able to make the right decisions to fulfill the prophecy and save the world from the Titan Lord.**

**The man walked forward, released his hold on time for just the girl and pulled her out from under the lightning bolt that was inches from her body.**

**The girl, Thalia, was still only half conscious and she groaned weakly from her place in the grass.**

**Perseus looked the girl over and saw the fatal wound in her stomach along with a cracked vertebra and three broken ribs she had sustained from the fight. He placed his hands over the wound in her stomach and sent a blast of dark energy into her. She became coated in an aura of black before it dissipated leaving her body healed and wound free.**

"Awesome! Even i can't do that!" Percy looked at Apollo strangely.

"Yes, you can. You just don't know how."

**The girl's eyes shot open and she looked straight into the eyes of the man in front of her.**

**She scrambled back, terrified that she had died and was now face to face with her Uncle Hades who had sent the army of monsters to kill her.**

"Far from it," Perseus laughed, but he smiled at Hades.

**"W..wh..Who the Hades are you?" She stuttered out.**

"Ironic." Hermes muttered

**In response the man just chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder.**

**"My name is not important. What is important is what I need to say. Your father was going to turn you into a tree in order to stop you from dying. He did it to prevent your soul from going to the Underworld where your Uncle Hades would have most certainly had you tortured for eternity just for being your father's daughter."**

**At those words, Thalia became scared and furious. It wasn't her fault she was born or who her father was.**

"No, it's certainly not your fault your birth father was a bastard," Perseus said lightly, and Zoe cracked up.

**Noticing her look, Perseus said sternly, "Do not judge your Uncle Hades so quickly. Your father has committed more injustices against him over the millennia than one could even count. He has killed many of his children and lovers for no other crime than they were his. He has refused to let him join the council of the Gods singling him out as the only child of Kronos and Rhea to not be included."**

**Thalia had a look of understanding on her face but was still pissed he tried to kill her; something Perseus did not blame her for.**

"No one does, child. People naturally do not enjoy being killed." I smiled gently.

**"Now the reason I am here is to tell you important information. There is a prophecy about the end of the God's rule that predicts a child of the big three, Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades, will make a choice that will decide whether or not the Gods survive or the Titans take control again. If you had turned into a tree the role would fall to another who would not be able to make the right choice. You are going to be the child of the prophecy Thalia. This is part of why I saved you, because I know you can make the right choice. The other part is I saw what you just did to save your friends. Any twelve year old willing to give up her life to save others has my respect any day of the week."**

"You still have my respect."

**Thalia was utterly overwhelmed, she felt somewhat dizzy from the information overload she had just received.**

**Noticing this, Perseus continued, "Do not worry yourself with everything because you are not going to be doing this alone. I am going to help you. But you have a choice to make, the first is to accept this great responsibility, but you must first swear on the River Styx to tell nobody about me. You never met me, you don't know me, and I did not save you from the lightning bolt or the monster army. Option two is I put you back to sleep and place you under the bolt where you get turned into a tree. I know those options are not ideal but to alleviate some of your concerns; I, Perseus, swear on the River Styx that everything I do for Thalia Grace will be for her benefit and for the safety and protection of her and those that she loves. I swear to never harm her or those she cares about and to never be deceitful in the things I tell her or ask her to do."**

**Thunder boomed overhead sealing the oath and Thalia's jaw dropped at everything he just told her. She was scared, angry, upset, but most of all confused.**

"I bet you were," Artemis said gently.

**She looked up at Perseus and just said one word, "Why?"**

**He looked at her and told her in a serious tone, "Because I know you can do it. I know you have a good heart and are the only one that has what is needed to have the prophecy end successfully. I do this because the Olympians are too concerned with their personal lives to realize their fate is dependent on demi-gods. Without you and other demi-gods, the Gods would lose control of the world to the Titans and western civilization would fall. I cannot have you talk about me because I am not supposed to exist. I am the result and something bad happening to someone good. One day you will hear my full story, until then I'm asking you to trust me that I want to help you."**

"You did more than you'll ever know."

**Thalia sat there dumbfounded for several minutes. She didn't know what to do. She didn't really want the responsibility of saving the world on her shoulders but she also knew she couldn't let the world fall because she was too scared to step up and fulfill her responsibility. She also knew she had no desire to become a tree whatsoever.**

**She took a deep breath and stated, "I Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, swear on the River Styx to accept the role of being the child of the prophecy. I swear I will never reveal anything about the meeting with Perseus today or any other day we meet and I swear to accept his help in aiding me with the prophecy."**

"Good choice," Athena approved.

**Thunder boomed overhead once again sealing her oath.**

**Perseus looked down at Thalia and smiled a wide grin. She gasped when she saw his large canine teeth. She wanted to ask why they were so large but decided she had had enough shocking and disturbing news for one day and that question could wait for another day. Instead she looked at Perseus and said, "So what do we do about all the monsters or explain how I avoided the lightning bolt?"**

**"Oh them? Don't worry about them." Perseus waved his hand. A shadow formed behind each of the monsters before impaling them with a pointed shadow that looked like a spear. Thalia's jaw hit the ground, she had no idea how someone could have so much power. It was clear that Perseus was a god but she couldn't figure out why she had never heard of him. She decided to worry about that later.**

"Not a good choice." I quipped, earning a tense laugh from most of the Olympians.

**"As for the lightning bolt, I need you to go lay under it again, just turn to the side so that when I release my hold on it, it will just look like you rolled out of the way."**

"What if she gets hit by it again?" Athena asked.

"She won't."

**Thalia nodded her head in understanding, although to be honest she understood very little about what happened that day. All she knew was that she now had the responsibility of saving everyone and the literal weight of the world on her shoulders. But on the bright side, she somehow knew she could trust Perseus. She knew almost nothing about him other than he was ridiculously powerful but he swore on Styx he was on her side and oath or not she believed him. On top of that he saved her, without him she'd be a Gods damned tree. Gee thanks father….**

"You're welcome?" Zeus asked.

"One, you are _not my goddamned father,_ and two, it's called _sarcasm._"

**Before she could go lay under the bolt, Perseus gently grabbed her arm. She waved his hand over her bracelet/shield and a pendant of a wolf appeared. She looked confusedly at him.**

**"That is a way for you to contact me. It is invisible to everyone besides you and I or anyone else I give a pendant to, which is only one other person. If you hold it and pray to me I will come speak to you or come to your aide in the case of an emergency. Also pull on the pendant."**

**She did and a midnight black bow appeared in her hands and a full quiver of arrows on her back.**

"You would've made an excellent huntress." Artemis nodded.

"Thank you, My lady."

**"The quiver is enchanted so that it never runs out of arrows. You have to survive if you are to fulfill the prophecy. This weapon will help protect you as I will not always be able to. I suppose you can think of me as your patron. So you are my champion. I will work with you to help save yourself and the rest of the world. Plus now that you're my champion, I will randomly give you some pretty cool shit when you need it. If you need something, just ask and I will do my best to help you."**

**Thalia nodded and gave him a small smile. She went under the bolt and waited for his signal. He nodded and she rolled to the right, the bolt missing her by about a foot. Thalia then acted injured and groggy as she got up and ran over the border. As she did she couldn't help but chuckle at how quickly everything in your life can change. I mean she didn't even make it to camp yet and she somehow acquired a patron God to guide her. It was a huge responsibility he had put on her shoulders but she felt proud he chose her to be the one he thinks can do it and she was determined to succeed.**

**A portal opened near the throne room and out stepped Perseus, directly in front of his father, the Creator of the Universe itself, Chaos.**

**Chaos has a proud smile on his face as he had just watched his son expertly handle the assignment given to him. He managed to save the daughter of Zeus, gain her trust, protect his secrecy, and become her patron, all within a span of 30 minutes.**

"That is pretty cool," Poseidon admitted.

**Perseus walked up to his father who pulled him into a tight hug. Long gone were the days when Perseus would bow to his father, something Chaos did not like, no son should feel the need to bow to his father despite what most Olympians may think.**

"Ahem," Thalia coughed

**Once out of the embrace, Chaos' face developed a serious and almost worried expression. "Come with me son, we have much to speak about." He stated seriously.**

**Perseus followed him father into the throne room, taking a seat in his throne which was right next to his father's throne. Once seated, Chaos looked around for a moment before snapping his fingers causing a bubble of dark energy to expand within the throne room until it sealed the room from the inside, blocking out any chance of being interrupted or overhead by anyone other than the two of them.**

"That's even more cool."

"Barnacle beard, will you _just shut up?"_

**Perseus gulped nervously. He knew whatever his father wanted to speak of was extremely important as the one other time he did this was when Chaos and Lupa explained the circumstances of his conception and birth.**

**"Son, it is time for you to know what is to come. I have told you a threat will come to Earth where you will be the deciding factor to whether the age of the Olympian Gods will either continue or end abruptly." Chaos said in a dead serious tone of voice.**

**Perseus looked slightly confused before responding, "Yes father, isn't that what I was doing on earth not 45 minutes ago?" Perseus assumed he was talking about the Titan Lord Kronos rising out of Tartarus and rallying the other Titans in an effort to regain rule of the world.**

"That's bad," Zeus said.

"No fu-Frickin duh, The Almighty Zeus, note the _sarcasm._" Thalia rolled her eyes.

**"No son, that is but a school yard fight compared for what is to come."**

"How is that even possible?!" I asked.

"No clue," Poseidon replied.

**Chaos said seriously before having a little chuckle while he replied, "Son, even after two and a half millennia I still see you have no idea about the power you have. If you wanted to you could pop down to earth and massacre every Titan alive with little trouble." His father became serious again before continuing, "You are a Primordial God, a son of the creator, trained by me your entire life. None of your brothers and sisters had the training you had. You are my youngest child but also my favorite. Rescuing your mother that fateful day all those years ago turned out to be one of the best things I've ever done."**

**Perseus felt himself blush a little in embarrassment as he father told him how much he cared for him.**

"Must be nice for your parents to praise you..." Zoe muttered.

**Chaos continued his story, "I have no doubt the daughter of Zeus will succeed in defeating the Titan Lord, especially with you helping her to do so. But alas, that is the easy part. After the first Titan War when Zeus and his siblings dethroned their father and cast him into Tartarus, what followed next?"**

**Perseus answered quickly, "My sister Gaia bred with my brother Tartarus to create the Gigantes."**

**"Exactly, but Gaia is one of my most intelligent children. She will not try the same move again. She has a plan against which the Olympians have almost no hope. That one piece of hope my son, is you."**

**Perseus' mind began to race with possible plans or scenarios in which Gaia would be sure to defeat the Olympians. Suddenly his eyes shot wide open, "One on my brothers or sisters is going to join her aren't they?"**

"That would be horrible." Athena said.

**"Not one. As of right now she already has 3 other Primordial Gods ready to join her in taking over the earth. She thinks she has 4 but she is wrong. One is my spy. You are my favorite son and she my favorite daughter. She would never betray me even if her husband would."**

"We are doomed." Athena summed it up pretty well, I thought.

**Perseus paled and his mouth dropped open and he got a feeling he had never truly felt before in his entire existence. Fear.**

**"But father, even if I can defeat more than one Primordial God, I can't fight more than one at once, let alone four!" He replied panicked.**

**Chaos sighed, "Like I said son, you have no clue to the power you contain. But you are right, you cannot take four at once, even with the weak Olympians helping you, which is why I am working on a plan of my own. When the time comes you will know how to defeat them."**

**Perseus nodded in understanding, though he still had doubts, if there was one thing he was sure of it was that he trusted his father. "Who are the three that you know of that have joined Gaia?" He asked wondering what type of power he was up against.**

**Chaos gave a depressed sigh as he responded, "Erebus, Tartarus, and Ourea have joined up with Gaia, so far."**

"They are some of the most powerful," Athena said nervously.

**Perseus nodded, but he was very nervous, Erebus, Tartarus, and Gaia were some of the most powerful Primordial Gods. He instantly knew Nyx was his father's spy. He always talked fondly of her and Perseus has wished to meet her someday. He wanted to know his siblings but could not as if word got to Gaia she would find a way to get to him if she knew he opposed her.**

**"You still have time, but you also have a lot of work to do before this battle comes. It is vital that Kronos is defeated without tiring out the Olympians too much; we will need them in the war with Gaia as well. Gaia's plan is truly brilliant. Evil, yet brilliant. She will resurrect her Giant children and wage war with Olympus. The Olympians would most likely be able to defeat them and her alone with the help of the demi-gods, but when the war is at its peak she plans to unleash the other 3 Primordial against the Olympians. The Olympians would stand no chance. After the Titan War is won, Apollo's oracle will release the next great prophecy about the Giants and Gaia. For the most part, other than Gaia because she is Mother Earth, Primordial Gods are beyond the power of the oracle so they will not be mentioned, leaving the Olympians blind to her true plans."**

**Perseus just sat on his throne, nodding his head as he took in all the information his father was giving him. He knew this would a near impossible task, but he was also going to do everything in his power to achieve it. He would not let harm come to his mother.**

**And Zoe.**

"AWWWWWW!" Aphrodite blasted my eardrums out.

**The thought of her being injured or killed nearly made him rip the armrest off his throne. Over the past millennia he has visited her as much as he could. They both cared for each other deeply. He knew he loved her and he knew she loved him. Of course it was difficult since she was a huntress, the Lieutenant of the Hunt to be exact, basically Artemis' right hand. Despite the difficulties he visited her as often as she could get away from the hunt. That had been happening more and more frequently as the years progressed. And yet, it still wasn't enough. They both longed to see each other more. They both wished for the day they wouldn't have to use their little bubble of darkness to block off Artemis from sensing them together. Perseus would often morph into his wolf form when he missed her and join the wolves at the hunter's camp or on their hunts, always taking special care to avoid Artemis' eye so as to not be noticed. Although when Artemis was not looking Zoe would smirk and laugh at him running around in his wolf form. He didn't know what to consider her. His girlfriend? It didn't sound right as she was a hunter but they obviously weren't friends either. All he knew was that if they were still alive after the war is Gaia, he would make her his. She loved the hunt but she loved him more. He was sure of it. Otherwise she would not see him behind Artemis' back.**

**Perseus was so deeply involved in his thoughts of Zoe that he didn't notice his father smirking at him from his throne. After a moment Chaos cleared his throat, causing Perseus to look up and notice the smirk. He immediately blushed bright red as he knew he father as seen what he was thinking about.**

"Time for what?

**"I think it's time son." Chaos told him seriously. Perseus looked confused, "Time for what?"**

**"Time for you to tell your girlfriend your story, your whole story." he replied.**

**Perseus was shocked. He didn't expect his father to ever let him tell anyone before the war. When he realized his father had called Zoe his girlfriend his face immediately went bright red again.**

**"She's not my girlfriend father. We are just friends." He tried to argue.**

"Right, 'just friends'," Thalia snorted.

**Chaos just snorted, "Yes, I spend most of my time when I visit friends surrounding us in a cocoon of energy so we can make out."**

"Touche." Perseus admitted.

**Perseus' blush, if possible, deepened.**

**Chaos just started to laugh at him. "I'm not telling you to go tell her right now, I'm just saying when you feel the moment is right you have my permission to tell her everything. Oh and your mother gives you her permission as well."**

**Perseus' eyes widened, "WHAT! How does she even know about Zoe? I never mentioned her other than after the first time we met so she would back up the story I gave her!"**

"That's just really creepy," Apollo said, pretending to shiver.

**Chaos just laughed harder, "Son, you can't possibly think that your mother doesn't watch you just as much as I do when you go to earth. C'mon you're her baby boy; of course she keeps a watchful eye on you."**

**"I'm over 2000 years old! I am not a baby!" Perseus interjected whining, but Chaos just laughed even harder. Perseus figured it would only get worse if he continued to whine so he just turned his head mumbling about 'stalker parents' and 'no privacy'.**

"Right..." Zoe laughed, and Perseus glared playfully at her.

**When Chaos calmed down, he looked at Perseus and said in a more serious tone again. "Just so you know for future reference, you are a Primordial God, you are above the power of the fates, as they are actually your nieces, daughters of your sister Ananke, and you are also beyond the power of the Oracle of Delphi."**

"Where did that come from?" Apollo asked.

**Perseus had no idea where that came from or why his father said it to him but if there was one thing he knew it was that when his father told him something in a serious tone like that, it was important and one day he would need to know it.**

**So instead he just nodded at his father. "I'm going to visit mother, I will be back tonight father."**

**Chaos just nodded and smiled at his son, "Go, I'm sure she misses you."**

**With that Perseus snapped his fingers, transformed into a wolf, and jumped in the abyss of the vortex.**

"Awesome!" Hermes proclaimed. Athena rolled her eyes.

"You need to improve your vocabulary."

**A/N: Thanks! I will update when I have 60-65 reviews. for my other story, the poll is on my profile. If it's not open, please put it into a review. I love you all! Thanks, **

**-Johanna Night**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I do not own PJO or this story. Enjoy!**

**HESTIA POV**

**Camp Half-Blood**

**Zoe had taken the hunters to Camp Half-Blood following their encounter at a boarding school in Maine with a Manticore. Annabeth, Luke, Thalia, and Grover had been trying to rescue two powerful half-bloods from the boarding school only to have Annabeth kidnapped by the Manticore Dr. Thorne. Then the female half-blood they were sent to rescue joined the hunters instead of coming to camp like her brother. Artemis had sent the hunters to camp with Thalia, Grover, and Luke Castellan along with the younger brother of the newest huntress while Artemis went out hunting an ancient and powerful monster by herself. Once the huntresses had settled in at camp it was time for the customary capture the flag game, campers versus the hunters.**

"And the hunters won for, like, a million times in a row." Thalia laughed. "Yet every time they still say that they're going to beat them."

I smiled at the daughter of Zeus. "The hunters are very talented, yes?" Artemis beamed.

"Yes. The slowest hunter can outrun a deer."

**Zoe raced through the forest at remarkable speeds carrying the campers flag, her millennia as a huntress had kept him in tip top shape. She knew she had to hurry though, she could hear her sisters yelling at a camper, the daughter of Zeus, who apparently had taken the hunters flag, which was a feat all in on its own. **

"yes, it is, Thalia." Zoe smiled. "No one had ever done that in the history of capture the flag." Thalia nodded.

"I'm special."

**As she reached the clearing Zoe was shocked to see that Thalia was slightly closer to the creek than Zoe was. The hunters looked like they were going to lose for the first time in centuries of playing the game versus the campers. Zoe was faster than Thalia but it still might not be enough as Thalia was closer to the boundary marker.**

"Come on, Zoe, don't let us lose!" Artemis groaned. Zoe gave her a thumbs up, and she sighed.

**Instead of panicking that they were about to lose, Zoe just smirked as she continued to sprint toward the creek. She began to concentrate on Thalia, slowing her down ever so slightly with her time abilities. Zoe raced to the creek, and leaped over the boundary line and back into hunter territory just before Thalia reached the creek, effectively winning the game for the hunters once again. She hadn't intended to, but she landed right in front of Thalia, sending her crashing into the daughter of Zeus and knocking them both down onto the forest floor.**

"Oh. I just remembered; I never apologized for that." Zoe stated. Thalia shrugged.

"It's fine."

** As Zoe pulled herself to her feet she saw a bracelet on Thalia's wrist. She had seen it earlier in Maine when fighting the Manticore. It was her shield Aegis. But as the daughter of Zeus was climbing to her feet Zoe saw a familiar wolf pendant gleamed in the moonlight. It was just like hers. A million thoughts raced through her mind like**

**'Why would this girl have the same pendant as me?''**

**'How does she know Perseus?'**

**Then everything came together in Zoe's head and she was overwhelmed with three emotions; anger, betrayal and heartbreak.**

"That was a mistake," Zoe said softly. I saw Perseus flinch, and automatically move closer to her.

"No it wasn't. I told you, i was and still am happy I have someone so faithful." I wondered what Zoe could have done to guilt her so much.

**Thalia was dumbfounded that she had lost when she was so sure she was ahead. She was pulling herself to her feet when she saw Zoe looking at her bracelet. She saw Zoe's eyes flash dangerously and the huntress looked absolutely furious. But the anger quickly disappeared to be replaced by another emotion Thalia wasn't sure about, but it looked like Zoe had had her heart ripped out of her chest.**

"It kind of had," Perseus said dryly. "She punched me in the face." his tone was light and humorous, though; not angry.

**Thalia was confused as to why her bracelet would cause the huntress to be so upset. Then the moonlight reflected off a silver necklace that hung from Zoe's neck. She saw a wolf pendant glimmer in the moonlight. Thalia wasn't angry like Zoe was, she was just confused. Perseus had told Thalia that she was his only champion. Although he did say he had given one other person a pendant, she couldn't comprehend why he would give it to a huntress, especially, at least in Thalia's opinion, such a cold-hearted one. **

"I am _not_ cold hearted!" Zoe protested. Perseus laughed.

"Right. I'm sure that mortal in Miami didn't deserve being shot." Thalia cracked up, and i couldn't help but laugh.

**Perseus had seemed like such a good-hearted and relaxed guy, she couldn't figure out what connection he would have to Zoe.**

**As both girls stared at each other, one with confusion and the other with anger, they were interrupted by gasps from campers and hunters alike. A woman who looked like a mummified corpse walked straight up to Zoe. Green smoke began to pour out of her mouth; she spoke in an ancient voice that sounded like three voices speaking as one. She rasped:**

**'****_Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,_**

**_One shall be lost in the land without rain,_**

**_The Bane of Olympus shows the trail,_**

**_Campers and Hunters combined prevail,_**

**_The Titan's Curse must one withstand,_**

**_And one shall perish by a parent's hand.'_**

**The mummified corpse promptly collapsed and appeared to be dead. **

"It was dead." Perseus smirked. "Not appeared to be. It's a mummy." The two girls glared at him.

**Chiron ordered Luke and Grover to carry the oracle back to the attic. He turned to Zoe and said there would be a war council meeting with the cabin counselors and a group of hunters whom she selected.**

**Zoe numbly nodded to Chiron. She had so many thoughts racing through her mind she could barely contain her emotions. She had been betrayed and heartbroken but now she immediately knew her mistress was the goddess in chains and by going west she had no doubts about where they were headed. Her father's burden was the Titan's Curse which meant, for the first time since she left, she would be returning to the Garden of the Hesperides. Back to her sisters, back to her home. She was almost sure that she would be the one to fall by a parent's hand. That meant her father would be free, that he would take her life.**

"Not really," Perseus said, catching Artemis's eyes as she opened her mouth.

**Despite all those terrible things that loomed in her future she couldn't stop thinking about Perseus. The man she loved. The man she had spent the past two millennia sneaking off to see behind her mistress's back, and now the man that had broken her heart. She felt absolutely dead and empty inside. She was so sure she had found the only reliable and honest man in the world. She couldn't stop thinking about it.**

**'How much of it had been a lie?'**

**'How many others were there?'**

**'Did he ever truly love me?'**

"Of course." The son of Chaos's voice was soft. Zoe sighed and wrapped her arms around him.

**Zoe had been so deep in her thoughts about the prophecy and her heartbreak that she had zoned out of the entire war council meeting. Apparently Thalia, Luke, and the satyr would be coming on the quest, as well as the newest huntress, Bianca Di'Angelo, had volunteered to go as well.**

**Great Zoe thought. Two ****_boys_****, a new huntress, and that slut **

"I am _not _a slut!" Thalia cried angrily. Zoe cringed.

"I know. I was mad."

**that stole her love would be coming with her to her death. She did like the fact that she could now kill this Thalia bitch before she died at least. She allowed herself a small smile at that fact. It was soon washed off her face when the war council was dismissed and everyone sent to bed, the quest was to leave at first light. As she walked away she saw Thalia approaching her. Her hand twitched toward her hunting knife as she got close.**

**No, she thought, not yet.**

**Instead when Thalia stood in front of her about to speak Zoe reached back slapped Thalia with all her strength sending her to the ground. Instead of waiting for a fight she used her power over time to freeze Thalia in place while she sprinted into the forest. Once she was a good half mile away at Zeus' fist, she released Thalia from the spell.**

**Zoe sat down on the rocks at Zeus fist and cried for the first time since her encounter with Heracles in the forest over 1500 years ago. When her love had saved her. When she had started to fall in love with him.**

**As she sobbed she suddenly stopped herself. Thalia wasn't the one to blame in this. Perseus was. She wiped away her tears and calmed herself down. Once she had collected herself, she grabbed her pendant and prayed for him to come visit her.**

**Not a minute later a vortex appeared a few feet away and out stepped Perseus, a huge fanged grin on his face. As he walked up to her smiling, she couldn't believe he could be happy when she was so hurt.**

**As he walked towards her and went to hug her, Zoe reached back and delivered the hardest closed-handed punch she had ever thrown in her life. She hit him right in the nose, breaking it rather badly. She was shocked when she didn't see golden ichor pour out. It was silver.**

_So that's what she did,_ I thought. Zoe was curled up, her face buried in her hands. Perseus lifted her cheek so it was facing him, and murmured things. I didn't quite catch all of it, but Zoe uncurled herself from the blankets.

**"WHAT THE HELL ZOE!" He yelled at her.**

**"WHAT THE HELL!? WHAT THE HELL!? YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO ASK ME WHAT THE HELL? YOU BASTARD!" She screeched.**

"Now i know," She muttered.

**"I trusted you. I loved you. I betrayed my lady for you! And you have the nerve to ask me WHAT THE HELL?"**

**"What are you talking about Zoe? Why are you so angry? I love you." Perseus replied shocked and heartbroken.**

"I was."

**"I saw her Perseus. I saw your pendant on her bracelet. I thought you were different. I thought you loved me. I guess it was all a lie." Zoe replied as tears flowed down her face. She reached up and ripped the necklace with the pendant off her neck and threw it at him.**

**She turned to sprint back to the Artemis cabin when she suddenly froze in place. Although she couldn't move her body, the tears wouldn't stop falling from her eyes. All she wanted to do was find a hole to crawl in and die.**

**Perseus walked up to her until he was right in front of her, silver ichor covering his lower face and shirt and tears falling from his eyes as well.**

**"Zoe," he said calmly, "I don't know what I have done, but I promise you I have not betrayed you. I swear on the Styx I have never done anything to betray you in any way at all."**

**Thunder boomed overhead.**

**Zoe's eyes widened and she waited to see if anything would happen. When it didn't she was confused and worried. She became scared she made a mistake and he will never want to see her again.**

"Never." Perseus whispered, and as the sound reached my ears, I found myself hoping for the second that Artemis would understand.

** At the same time she wasn't completely convinced either. She decided she would hear what he had to say before she made any more decisions.**

**"Perseus," she said calmly, "release me. I won't attack you or try to leave but we need to talk and I don't like being frozen in time." She felt herself able to move again and she took a couple steps away from him breathing deeply.**

**She then turned to Perseus who still had tears in his eyes, "Perseus, why does that daughter of Zeus, Thalia, have your pendant on her bracelet?" She asked in an icy tone that made Perseus shiver a little.**

"It still does," Perseus laughed, making Artemis laugh a little.

**"That's why you hit me?" he asked incredulously.**

**Zoe eyes flared dangerously and Perseus quickly realized his mistake.**

**"You think I would go behind your back with another woman? Geez Zoe, after two thousand years you really think I would do that to you? I love you, and only you. You're the only woman I've ever loved in my entire life. I fell in love with you after that first kiss outside the Garden of the Hesperides. I would never hurt you." He told her sincerely. He watched for her reaction but he still couldn't tell what she was thinking.**

**"Then why does she have your pendant on her bracelet?" She asked again with less malice in her tone but still with some ice to it.**

**In response Perseus grinned, "Because, she is my champion."**

**Zoe's eyes widened but then turned to glare at him. "Explain. Everything. Now!"**

**Perseus nodded and said, "Your right. It is time for me to explain, ****_everything_****." He put emphasis on the word everything. Zoe eyes widened.**

**"You mean you're going to explain everything to me now?" Zoe was excited she would finally know his story but was becoming increasingly worried she had just ruined their relationship by breaking his nose without so much as a word as to why before she hit him.**

Perseus shook his head. "Not that easily, you're not getting away."

**Perseus nodded solemnly, dreading telling the parts about his mother's attack but he knew Zoe deserved to know. He actually wanted her to know. He didn't want to hide anything from her.**

"That's good," Artemis said approvingly

**"Yes, I think it would be better to start from the beginning. But first I need you to know I would never hurt you. There is nothing between me and Thalia or me and any other woman in the world. It's just you. It's always been you. You stole my heart the day I met you and it will always be yours. I swear on the River Styx I have never had romantic relations with any woman in my entire existence other than Zoe Nightshade. "**

**Thunder boomed overhead proving the truth to what he told her.**

**Zoe stared at him for a minute in shock before running forward into his arms. She launched herself up at him, wrapping her legs around his waist and burying her face in the crook of his neck. She began to cry silently again but no longer from heartbreak. Now they were tears of happiness. He loved her just as much as she loved him and despite everything with the prophecy hanging over her head, it didn't matter. Not right now. Not when she was in his arms, the place she felt safest in the world.**

"AWWWWWWW!" Perseus snapped his fingers, and Aphrodite's mouth was clamped shut.

**After standing there silently for ten minutes just holding each other, she looked up at him, still in his arms with her legs wrapped around his waist. She saw his broken nose. She felt a horrible pain in her stomach, it was guilt. She didn't let him explain, she had just attacked him. It upset her that she had acted so rashly but at the same time made her love him even more. He wasn't even mad; in fact he looked like he couldn't be happier with her tightly wrapped in his arms.**

"Mmmmmmmph!" Aphrodite said. I laughed at her facial expression, which was a mix between adoration and anger.

**She gently reached up and wiped some of the ichor away from him mouth. "I'm sorry." She whispered softly. He just smiled gently at her, "Don't be, I should have explained about Thalia before. In fact, I'd be more upset if you hadn't hit me. I'm happy you care enough to break my nose at the thought of me with another woman." He said chuckling softly.**

Artemis nodded. "That's true."

**She reached up gently brushing her hand against his cheek before she closed her eyes and gave him a gentle loving kiss. "I love you Perseus." She whispered with their foreheads pressed together.**

**"And I love you Zoe." He whispered back lovingly.**

**After a minute or so, Zoe detached herself from Perseus as he let the bubble around them dissipate. She quickly grabbed his hand lacing their fingers together.**

**Perseus snapped his fingers and a vortex appeared in front of them. Zoe looked a little startled. She looked at him with questioning eyes.**

"Where are you taking her?" Athena asked, grimacing as if the question had burned her.

**"Do you trust me?" He asked.**

**She thought about it for a minute, then replied dead seriously; "With my life."**

**"Well it will be easier to explain everything to you from my home. I will have my father get my mother as well. I want you to meet them both." Perseus told her.**

**In response Zoe nodded, smiling warmly.**

**Together still holding hands, they walked through the vortex to a place Zoe never thought she would see in a million years.**

"_Where?" _Athena scowled when Perseus made a 'you'll see' motion.

**When they exited the vortex Zoe immediately gasped at the sight in front on her. It was the most breathtaking city she had ever seen. Olympus looked like a slum in comparison. Everything shined brightly in the moonlight. When Zoe looked at the sky she nearly fainted. There were two moons!**

**"Percy, where are we?" She asked utterly dumbfounded.**

**Perseus smiled, "We are at my home. Welcome to the void."\**

"What's it like?" I asked curiously. Perseus beamed.

"It;s beautiful."

**Zoe began to get dizzy. This couldn't be real. How were they here? Then it hit her.**

**"Your father is Chaos?" She asked, slightly worried about being in the realm of the creator.**

**"Yes Zoe. And don't worry. My father already knows about you." He responded.**

**"W…Wh..What? But how?" She asked utterly shocked.**

**"He is my father, he watches over me when I am on earth to make sure I am safe." He responded as if it were no big deal.**

"It kind of was no big deal for me," Perseus said sheepishly.

**"Close your eyes." He told her, "I will flash us to a balcony so I can start to explain."**

**She did and when they reappeared Zoe still had her eyes closed. She was surprised when she felt Perseus' lips on her own. After the initial shock wore off, she immediately responded wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. When they broke apart, Perseus had a huge grin on his face. "It's nice to kiss you without a cocoon of darkness around us for once. Don't worry Zoe, Artemis cannot sense something in a place she knows nothing about."**

**Zoe grinned in response.**

**Perseus grabbed her hand and led them to a bench. His face morphed into a serious expression and Zoe knew he was going to start explaining.**

**"I guess the easiest way to start my story is with my mother. You know her. You've met her with Artemis multiple times." Perseus took a deep breath as he got ready to tell his story for the first time in his life. Zoe squeezed his hand in support, but was very curious to the fact she had met his mother before.**

**"My mother is Lupa, the Mother of Rome, Wolf Goddess, and supposed to be a maiden Goddess."**

**Zoe gasped loudly. Lupa was one of Artemis', or Diana's, closest friends. Even Zoe had become somewhat close with her. She always thought Lupa seemed especially fond of her but never thought anything of it. She knew she wasn't going like what she hears as the story continued; Perseus had already said he was born as the result of a rape.**

Artemis leapt up and pulled out her bow, but I stopped her. "Reading, niece." She sat down reluctantly.

**"My mother was raped by the Olympian God of War. But not by Mars, by Ares." Perseus spat with barely controlled rage. Even now he could barely speak of it without blowing up.**

**Zoe began tearing up. It was bad enough to rape a maiden. But for a Roman Goddess to be raped by a Greek God was the ultimate slap in the face. Zoe wanted to interrupt and ask questions but she saw how hard this was for Perseus so she just squeezed his hand tighter trying to give him comfort.**

"It helped," Perseus smiled softly.

**"As you know, my mother became pregnant. Being a maiden she could not tell anyone or ask for help. As a Roman she felt weak for not being strong enough to stop it. So instead she hid for the couple months of her pregnancy. When she was near the point of giving birth, she fled into the woods hoping to take care of it herself as well as hide me before anyone knew. She knew I'd be killed immediately if anyone knew I was half Greek and half Roman. An abomination they would call me. Well as she fled, she ran out of time. She did not know what to do with the birth of a god as she had never dealt with one. Eventually she had to stop from the intense pain. She thought it was hopeless and prayed for a miracle. My father appeared, brought her here to the void. He helped deliver me. Afterword he offered to raise me here as he knew I could not return to earth in case anyone discovered what I was. I was the first child of both Ares and my mother making me especially powerful. Chaos adopted me as his own, ridding me of any physical reminder of that bastard Ares, in other words my eyes. I was born with red eyes, almost exactly like his. When my father adopted me, I assumed an eye color more similar to his."**

"That's why your eyes aren't red!" Artemis exclaimed. Perseus nodded.

**Perseus stopped to catch his breath, tears flowing down his cheeks. Zoe quickly caught him in a hug, her own tears falling down her face. After a minute, Perseus steeled himself enough to continue.**

**"After ten years of being raised here, my father called me into his throne room. He said it was time for me to get my domains. When I asked what they were, the fates appeared and declared me the Primordial God of Hunting, Battle, Darkness, and Time."**

**Zoe gasped for what had to be the tenth time. "That's why you bled silver ichor. Y..Yo..You're a Primordial God." She stuttered absolutely shocked.**

**"Yes I am. But I am a Primordial God in love with a huntress of Artemis." He told her in a dead serious tone. He did not like seeing her nervous about the fact he was a Primordial God.**

**At those words Zoe regained her composure and gave him and absolutely heart melting smile. **

"Mmmmmmmmmphhhh!" Aphrodite said from beneath the shadows that gagged her.

**When she heard he was a Primordial God she had gotten somewhat nervous but then she remembered that it did not matter. He loved her and she loved him and that's what did matter.**

**She reached up and gave him deep and passionate kiss.**

**No matter how many times they did that it still put butterflies in both their stomachs.**

**When they broke the kiss Perseus sat back down and pulled her onto his lap. She smiled. It was nice to not have to hide their love for once in two thousand years.**

**Zoe still had one question she needed answered.**

"What is it?" Ares asked. _Stupid,_ I thought, which was strange because I never thought ill of anyone.

**"And Thalia is your champion why?" She asked with her eyebrows raised. She wasn't concerned anymore. She was just genuinely curious.**

**"Well that is actually an interesting story. My father and I have known about the "Great Prophecy" since it was issued almost a century ago. We have watched half-bloods of the big three closely, waiting for one that had what it took to fulfill the prophecy in favor of the Olympians. Most are arrogant and overestimate their own abilities which usually lead them to their deaths. Or in the case of Hades and Zeus, they kill each other's children in their never-ending feud. Poseidon on the other hand just hasn't had any. He is the only one to keep his oath they made on the River Styx. In fact, he hasn't had a demigod in the past 5 centuries. It's too bad too; his children are usually far less egotistical and survive better by knowing the limits of their abilities.**

Poseidon flushed at the praise.

**But anyways, I was watching Thalia on her journey to Camp Half-Blood when she and her three companions were cornered by the three furies and a small army of monsters, she sent her friends across the border while she alone fought off the army of monsters sent by Hades so they could survive. She fought incredibly bravely, killing over a dozen and one of the furies before a Cyclops snuck up behind her and knocked her into an Empousa's dagger. She was fatally wounded but before Alecto could finish her Zeus finally got off his lazy ass **

"I do _not_ have a lazy ass!" Zeus exploded. Thalia raised her eyebrows.

"Hate to break it to you, but you do." Zeus looked around, but even Hera was nodding.

**and tried to turn her into a tree so she would stay out of Hades realm. Before the bolt hit her, I froze time at Camp Half-Blood and on Olympus so I could heal her. After explaining everything about the prophecy I gave her two options; go through incredible hardships to fulfill the prophecy or let her father turn her into a tree. She chose the prophecy so I made her my champion and I am aiding her until she fulfills the prophecy." Perseus said out of breath.**

**Zoe just stared at him for a minute before smiling at him sadly, "I'm sorry for not trusting you. I should have talked to you before getting angry.." Perseus cut her off,"Stop. I love you Zoe. I love you exactly the way you are. I'm glad you hit me actually. I've hidden all this stuff from you for too long and you had every right to get angry."**

**Zoe smiled before her face turned into a frown, "Well I still owe Thalia an apology at least."**

"Which you gave," Thalia smiled at her adoptive mother.

**Perseus looked confused, "Why?"**

**Zoe looked down ashamed, "Well when I saw the pendant, she also saw mine and when she came to ask me about it, I may have slapped her, then froze her in time until I got to Zeus' fist to talk to you."**

**Perseus stared at her for a minute and Zoe thought he was angry but suddenly he grinned and laughed, "Oh I bet she is pissed. She's a feisty girl too. That's one of the things I like about her. She doesn't take crap from anybody. I bet she's planning on trying to kick your ass next time she sees you. But don't worry, I'll wipe her memory and make it seem like you just ran off before she could catch up. Oh and you can talk to her about me if you are in private, but she doesn't know I'm a Primordial God. She just knows I'm an unknown god, so don't mention that."**

**Zoe looked surprised, "She doesn't know?"**

**Perseus looked at her incredulously, "Did you know before today? I told you about 1500 years ago that you would be the first I told. I keep my promises, especially to you."**

Artemis frowned, before smiling. "Perseus, I will grant you permission to be with Zoe. But if you hurt her..." Perseus nodded.

**That comment made her very happy. She liked that she was his first priority and he would keep his word.**

**"So, want to meet my parents? Well my father, since you and my mother already know each other but I believe she is here as well."**

**Zoe was a little nervous. It's not every day you meet the creator of the universe. So she just nodded nervously.**

**Perseus grabbed her hand, "Don't worry, he is actually a really easy going guy, and surprisingly easy to talk to."**

**Zoe just laughed; she should expect that from the man the raised Perseus. He acts like an everyday guy, not what you expect from the Primordial God of Time.**

"Did you expect me to be like Kronos then?" Perseus laughed. "Or perhaps Zeus?"

**The happy couple exited the balcony, hands locked as they strolled through Chaos' palace toward the throne room. Chaos' workers and advisors all seemed shocked to see the Prince of the Void strolling through the halls with a beautiful girl. Never once had he brought someone home other than his own mother. The workers kept their mouths shut so as to make sure they didn't anger Perseus or Lord Chaos.**

**Eventually the couple reached the throne room doors. Perseus could sense the nervous tension rolling off Zoe in waves so he turned to her and said, "Please Zoe, just relax. There is nothing to worry about. He is not like the Olympians who try to make everyone in their presence bow to them, well at least most of them do. In fact don't bow to him, it weirds him out. **

"Wow. And sparky here expects everyone to bow to him. Hades, if Chaos himself came, he'd probably expect him to bow."

**Just relax and act like you're talking to an old friend."**

**Zoe looked at Perseus incredulously before taking a deep breath and nodding her head.**

**Perseus pushed open pitch black doors of the throne room and walked in hand-in-hand with Zoe. When they looked at they saw Chaos and Lupa having a casual conversation near Chaos' throne. Perseus cleared his throat and causing both of them to look up at the couple. Both grinned widely as they saw them walking in hand-in-hand.**

**Zoe looked at Lupa and saw her large canine teeth protruding slightly past her lips. She mentally face-palmed. She always wondered why Lupa seemed so familiar, even when they met for the first time. She had the exact same smile as Perseus. Right down to the overly large canine teeth. She had always wondered why his teeth were like that but never asked because it could have been a sore subject. Well that and she didn't really care, she actually liked them, she thought they made him look sexier, especially when he smiled.**

'That's nice to know." Zoe flushed, before smacking him across the face.

**Lupa walked over to the couple first, grabbing her son in a tight embrace, "Percy, I've missed you!" she exclaimed.**

**"Hello mother, I've missed you too." He replied smiling. His smiled turned into a smirk, "I believe you know my friend here Zoe Nightshade."**

**Lupa laughed at her son, "Hello Zoe, it is nice to see you again."**

**"Lady Lupa." Zoe replied, bowing her head to the wolf goddess.**

**Lupa laughed again, "Zoe, I don't think you need to bow to me or call me lady. It appears you're dating my son," she said with a smile, "I think you should just call me Lupa."**

**Zoe blushed a deep crimson color when she said dating her son.**

**"Arghh mother! Stop embarrassing me and her!" Perseus cried indignantly.**

Both of them turned cherry red.

**Lupa and Chaos both laughed heartily and Perseus' embarrassment. "What, I'm your mother. I won't be having your girlfriend bowing and or addressing me like a stranger." Lupa said as her laughing died down.**

**Deciding to avoid further embarrassment from his mother, Perseus turned to his father, "Father, this is Zoe. Zoe this is my father Chaos, creator of the universe and all that blah blah blah."**

"That wasn't wise," Athena said nervously.

**Chaos started cracking up at Perseus' introduction.**

**Zoe's eyes widened. She knew Perseus said he was laid back but she was not expecting this.**

**"Lord Chaos." Zoe said respectively.**

**"No lord. Just Chaos my dear. After everything you've done for Perseus, there is no need for formalities." Chaos said with a smile.**

**Zoe looked confused. "What do you mean? Perseus saved my life twice. I haven't done anything for him."**

**"That may be, but Perseus has lived here for over two millennia. His only escape has been to visits to earth to see his mother and you. I think if he hadn't met you outside the Garden of the Hesperides after that whole Heracles debacle he would have blasted half my city away out of sheer boredom. So, on behalf of myself and the citizens that live here, thank you." Chaos said laughing.**

**Zoe looked over at Perseus who just nodded his head smiling, confirming that his father was probably correct.**

"He is."

**Zoe just remembered that she had her quest the next morning, she had no idea how long she had been here. It had been at least a few hours and they had left rather late.**

**"Percy, what time is it? I have a quest to save Lady Artemis in the morning, I cannot miss it, she's been captured by the Titan's forces." Zoe asked anxiously. Zoe was confused, since getting his blessing she always knew exactly what time it was but for some reason she could not feel the time.**

**"**It's in the void. You can't feel the time in the void."

**"WHAT!" Lupa exclaimed. She was horrified that her friend had been captured by Titans.**

**"Yes La.. I mean Lupa. We must leave at first light on the quest. We do not know how but she has been captured and it appears my father has broken out of his punishment and Artemis is being held on Mount Othrys."**

**"Don't worry Zoe. It is currently four minutes since we left earth." Perseus said smiling.**

"What?!" Hades stared at the book.

**"What? We've been here for hours." Zoe said disbelievingly.**

**"Ah yes, but time works quite differently in the void. But I suppose you are right, I should bring you back so you can rest. I would rather avoid my mother's wrath if I kept you out all night and screwed up your mistress' rescue." Perseus said.**

"That's true," Perseus said.

**Lupa nodded her head in agreement to both the suggestion of going back as well as the wrath Perseus would face if something happened to her friend.**

**Perseus walked up and hugged both his mother and father before leading Zoe outside the throne room.**

**Once outside he grabbed Zoe's hips and brought her closer to him before he leaned down and gave her a soft and loving kiss.**

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Aphrodite screeched. There was a smashing sound, and all the windows shattered.

"My eardrums," Hermes moaned.

**"Please be careful on your quest, I know it must be difficult heading back to your first home."**

**Zoe's stomach tied into a very painful knot. She had been so caught up in Perseus' story and the trip to the void, she totally forgot about the prophecy. As well as her apparent destined demise. She wanted to tell Perseus, but she just couldn't do it. She couldn't put this on him, he would refuse to let her go and then her mistress would be lost. So she ignored the anxiety and guilt in her stomach and put on her best smile, "I will my love, I promise."**

**Perseus snapped his fingers and a vortex appeared, "This will drop you off at the spot we left from. Know that I will be watching you to make sure you're ok. But if you need help, don't hesitate to ask."**

**Zoe nodded her head and reached to grab her pendant. It wasn't there. Then she remembered she broke the necklace and threw it at Perseus.**

**She looked up to see Perseus holding said necklace in his hand dangling it in front of her face.**

**"**He's very consistent," Artemis noted.

**She smiled and grabbed it from him. He stood behind her and lifted her hair for her as she put it back on her neck, where it had been for the last two thousand years.**

**Before she could turn around, Perseus said, "Grab the pendant and pull."**

**Zoe did and a beautiful hunting knife appeared in her hand. It was black and silver with some type of jewels imbedded in the hilt. "The blade is made of celestial bronze, imperial gold, an adamantium and titanium alloy, and chaos metal, which is a metal created from my father's very essence. It is completely indestructible. It was the first weapon my father ever gave me, it kept me safe for many years; it will do the same for you."**

"Awesome!" Apollo yelled for like the tenth time.

**Zoe's jaw dropped, but before could get a word out, Perseus put a finger under her chin, pushed her mouth closed, and pressed his lips to hers. When he stepped back, he smiled at her "Go and rest love, find your mistress as fast as you can so I can see you afterwards."**

**Zoe put on a fake smile and nodded her head, not trusting her voice, before walking through the vortex of dark energy, an agonizing pain in the pit of her stomach was telling her that this was most likely the last time she would see the love of her life again.**

**A/N: I just added another choice on my poll, Female Chaos. If you have not voted, please vote now. Please. If you have, and you want female Chaos, then please review and tell me. I love you all, and I will update when the number or reviews has reached 95-100. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!**

**-Johanna Night.**


	7. Chapter 7

**The quest to save Artemis**

**As soon as Zoe stepped out of the vortex and back into the clearing near Zeus' fist she immediately broke down into tears. She couldn't shake the feeling she would never see Perseus again. She couldn't abandon her mistress though, the woman who took her in when she had no home and gave her a family for over two thousand years. She had to take this quest, it was given to her and she would not fail Artemis. **

Artemis beamed at her huntress, who would take such pains to rescue her from the Titans. "Did everything go alright?" I was the only one who caught the tear that slid down her cheek.

"For you, fine. but we lost a wonderful young woman on the trip. She was so young..." Zoe's eyes shone. "And so brave, too."

**She just prayed that somehow she would survive this quest and see her love's face again. In her mind Zoe had already decided if she and the world survived the rise of Kronos and the Titan's forces she would leave the hunt so she and Perseus could be together. She was happy she knew everything about him now and yet she still felt like there was something he didn't tell her, but for now she had to focus on saving Artemis and surviving the quest.**

**"**Yes, that's what you should be focusing on," Athena said approvingly. "Focus on the quest first and then on other things."

Zoe nodded. "That's what I thought."

**Eventually her tears subsided and she began to trek back to the Artemis cabin, subconsciously gripping the pendant on her necklace. As soon as she walked back into the cabin area of Camp Half-Blood, she saw a familiar teenage girl sitting outside the Artemis cabin obviously waiting for her. Zoe realized a total of 30 minutes had passed since she had run from Thalia. She once again was completely aware of the time and could feel its flow again like she usually could. As Zoe approached her she did not know what to expect.**

"of course not. You just wiped my memory and left me standing there, and then you ran off for absolutely no reason, and now you looked so friendly when a minute ago you looked like you wanted to rip my head off," Thalia muttered. "I think I have a right to be confused.

"You did. I was just saying."

Thalia laughed.

**When she got closer to Thalia, she saw the place where Zoe had smacked her earlier was already healed. She assumed Perseus had kept his word like he always does. Her heart fluttered for a minute before it was filled with dread at the prospect of never seeing him again.**

**"Hello Thalia." Zoe said politely. She still felt bad for hitting her even if she did not remember it. Zoe was also really glad she hadn't gutted her like she wanted to.**

**"Ummm, Hi Zoe." Thalia said uncertainly. She had assumed this hunter did not like her and was surprised by the kind tone she spoke in.**

"I was. You seemed to hate me the last time we spoke, remember?" Thalia's tone was amused. "Then, you left me standing and got this weeird look on your face like you wanted to rip my head off, and then ignored me for the rest of the day."

Zoe laughed. "I overreact sometimes, don't I?" Thalia snorted.

'Nah. If my boyfriend cheated on me, he'd never have another kid."

**"I'm sorry for avoiding you. I was confused. Come let's take a walk somewhere more private to talk, ok?" Zoe asked her. Although it wasn't that much of a question, it was more of a statement.**

**Thalia nodded in response and the two walked to a secluded area near the sword fighting arena.**

**Neither knew what to say, but Thalia, never one to be shy, broke the silence. "I was just curious as to how you know, ****_Perseus_****." Thalia said, whispering his name just in case.**

"At least you listened," Percy laughed. "Remember that time when Artemisia was playing and we told her not to touch the cookies, but when we came back they had 'mysteriously disappeared?"

Zoe nodded, laughing. "And the time Andromeda 'accidentally' flooded the entire house except her room?" There was a golden flash and the two girls appeared in the room, laughing.

"What did you do now?!" Zoe sighed, exasperated. The two girls giggled.

"Nothing, mother..." Suddenly there was a flash of black, and two figures stepped out. One was laughing, and the other was scowling.

"What in the Void did you do to my home!" Erebus scolded one. The other figure laughed.

"She's little, Erebus. Besides, don't you like your palace being _pink?_" Nyx gasped with laughter and scooped up the two girls. "This is Artemisia, and this is Andromeda. Say hi!" The two waved.

**Zoe froze a bit. She expected the question but hadn't actually thought of a response. She was a huntress. She couldn't exactly say 'oh he has been my boyfriend for the past 1500 years'.**

"And that wouldn't have been awkward at all," Apollo said knowingly. Perseus smirked at him.

"Right. i forgot that you would know, you've been covering up your affairs for years."

Apollo turned as bright red as his sacred cattle, and Artemis whacked him upside the head.

**Eventually she relaxed, "He is a good friend of mine. He has been for a very long time."**

**Thalia raised an eyebrow, "Umm aren't you, you know, supposed to hate all men?"**

**Zoe laughed quietly, "Yes. And I do, a lot. But Perseus is different. I met him before I joined the hunt, many, many years ago."**

**"And Lady Artemis doesn't mind you being friends with a man?" Thalia questioned, surprised.**

"I had no clue," Artemis laughed. "You did a good job hiding, Zoe." The huntress blushed.

"maybe it was for the better. You would've blasted him, and that would've turned ugly." Perseus shook his head.

"I don't hit women."

**Zoe paled a bit. She had not expected that question and wasn't sure how to answer. "Actually she doesn't know. As you know Perseus is not known to very many people. In fact, other than his parents, you and I are the only ones who know he is alive. And it needs to stay that way as I'm sure he has mentioned." Zoe replied, the last part in a slightly warning tone.**

**Thalia quickly nodded, "Yes I know. I would never tell anyone. I owe him my life. I would never betray him. I was just curious how you managed to be his friend without Lady Artemis knowing."**

"being _very, very _sneaky," Zoe smirked.

**Zoe nodded in acceptance to her answer, "Yes, well as I'm sure you've noticed Perseus has many, ****_talents, _****that allow him to remain hidden from those he does not want to see him."**

**"Yea, he is amazing. Some of the things he can do are unreal." Thalia responded excitedly. She had never been able to talk to anyone about him before. It was nice to actually do it.**

**Zoe's eyes flashed dangerously. Something Thalia quickly picked up on. Her eyes shot wide open. She had a funny feeling what kind of "friends", him and Zoe were. She was just shocked the Lieutenant of the Hunt had romantic feelings toward a man. She also noticed the dangerous glint was still in Zoe's eyes.**

"Now that I think of it, Andromeda has the same glint," Erebus gestured to the girl clinging to his leg. "Especially when she's about to prank you." Erebus scowled.

"Can I go pranking with her?" Hermes was suddenly interested. Zoe innocently took out a bow, and he gulped. "never mind, then..."

**"Zoe, I'm not going to ask you what kind of friends you and Perseus are since it's not my business, but from the way your glaring at me let me clarify what he is to me. He is my Patron God, even if I don't even know what he is god of. He is like the father or big brother I never had. My mom was a drunk and I ran away from home when I was ten. For 6 months I roamed the country alone. No money, scrounging for meals and running for monsters constantly. After 6 months I met up with Luke. So we roamed together for the next year. Things got better after meeting Luke. He is a son of Hermes, so he was able to steal us food and break into different places where we could sleep instead of staying in the woods or on the streets.**

"He's a great son," Hermes said sadly. "But _someone_ wouldn't allow us to visit our kids under the treat of being hurled off Olympus." I could've sword I heard Perseus whisper,

"Like Heracles."

Thalia smiled tightly. "These things are easier to forgive when your father isn't the 'almighty king of the skies.'

**The only help my father ever gave me was my shield, a knock off version of the shield he gave Athena." She said pointing to Aegis on her wrist.**

"it wasn't a knockoff!" Zeus protested. "I wanted you to protect yourself!" Thalia sneered.

"Right. A spear or a sword would've been better, you know. And if it's not a knockoff, what can it do? Nothing? There you go. Shove the answer up your royal ass, bastard." Thalia sat, and Zoe frowned at her.

"language!" She scolded.

"Whatever."

**"Zeus couldn't even give me a weapon to defend myself with. All we had was a baseball bat I carried and an old golf club Luke carried to fight off the constant monsters attracted to my scent. That was until one day when Luke went inside a mini-mart to steal us some dinner, a boy walked towards me. He was my age, and seemed like a normal kid except he had black and silver eyes. He walked by me like he didn't notice me until he was right in front of me. He dropped a backpack in front of me and walked away like he didn't notice he dropped it. **

"That was me. I'm quite surprised that you didn't notice that I'd been tracking you for days, Thalia. I was impressed by how you managed to protect yourselves without any real weapons." Perseus smiled. "But you were doing fine on your own, to begin with."

**I bent down to pick it up to hand it to him but he was gone. Inside, I found a canister of mace which turns into a celestial bronze spear." Thalia said pulling out a small bottle of mace.**

**"Also inside was a ring that turned into a sword, which I gave to Luke. **

"I'd intended the ring for him. It fit him, with the snake and the sapphire in the middle."

"**There** **was also $5,000 in mortal money and a small bag of Drachmas. Luke and I assumed it was our parents finally helping us out. Luke still thinks that, but I know better now even if Perseus never mentioned it. Well a little while after that we met up with Annabeth who was only eight at the time. Then later we met Grover, who brought us to the borders of Camp Half-Blood." Thalia stated, slight tearing up after reliving those rough years of her life again.**

**She took a deep breath before continuing, "When we neared the borders, an army of monsters surrounded us. They were clearly after me so I convinced Luke to bring the others over the border to get help. After a few minutes I was about to be killed by a Fury when thunder boomed loudly and I thought Zeus was going to save me.**

"Right. i forgot that you were going to 'help' me. I should've known better."

**I was wrong. A bolt came down straight at me. I thought my own father was going to kill me. As I prepared to die, I must have passed out, because when I woke up I was on the ground with a man looking down at me. But I wasn't dead, I was healed. That's when Perseus told me Zeus wasn't going to kill me; he was going to turn me into a tree…. Gee thanks father." Thalia said the last part bitterly.**

'Thalia..."

"Shut the crap! You promised me that you'd be there when you visited my mother. And my mother is dead, and where were you?" Thalia's eyes blazed. "Sitting on your throne, hiding away your other affairs! It's a wonder why Hera puts up with you!" Thalia snarled.

**Her demeanor softened immediately when she started again, "Perseus said I was needed to save the world and he would help me. Then he gave me the option of being the prophecy child or letting Zeus turn me into a tree. Needless to say I chose the prophecy, even though I'm pretty sure Perseus would have saved me anyway."**

"I would've. You earned it."

**"Well that's how I met Perseus, how I became his champion and what his relationship is to me. I'm not sure what he thinks of me as but I do care for him deeply but as a father, since he's the only person who has ever been one in any way to me." Thalia finished sadly.**

**Zoe had listened attentively during her entire story, she knew most of it but what surprised her was the way Thalia thought of Perseus. Without another thought she stepped forward and pulled Thalia into a hug. "Trust me Thalia, I know Perseus very well and he cares for you a lot. When he told me about you he bragged about how brave you were against the army of monsters, and when he said he was your Patron God you could practically feel the pride rolling off his body."**

**Thalia beamed a smile at Zoe. She had always hoped Perseus was proud of her.**

"You made me proud, Thalia. Every day." Perseus smiled at his adopted daughter. "When you held up the sky, I was so nervous that I wanted to hold it for you. You survived, though. Without any help. I was always proud of you." Thalia nodded wordlessly, but I could see how happy she was.

**After a minute they stepped apart and smiled at each other. They both knew they were going to become fast friends. "Let's go get some rest Thalia; we have a Goddess to save in the morning." Zoe said smiling.**

**As they walked back to camp, Zoe was once again struck with despair in her heart knowing she could very well being going to her death.**

**The battle against Atlas was not going well for the members of the quest. They discovered a demi-god daughter of Ares, Clarisse La Rue turned traitor and was preparing to become the host for Kronos. She was locked in battle with Luke, sword versus spear, off to the side of the battle between Thalia and Zoe against Atlas. Artemis was helpless, stuck underneath the weight of the sky.**

"Damn Titan, luring me here..." Artemis cursed and swatted away Apollo's hand."

**Thalia had just had her spear knocked away, Atlas stood above her ready to kill her.**

**"Pathetic little demi-god, what chance did you really stand against a titan." Atlas bellowed mockingly.**

**As he raised his spear ready to impale Thalia, a loud voice bellowed, "NOOOOOOO!"**

"Who is that?" Artemis asked curiously.

**In an instant Zoe stood between Thalia and Atlas firing an arrow straight into the forehead of her father.**

**"Arghh." Yelled Atlas as he stumbled backwards.**

**Zoe pulled Thalia to her feet before turning back around where her father stood ten yards away, mid throw, firing his spear straight into his daughter's stomach. Zoe flew back ten yards in a pile of rubble near the edge of the mountain.**

"Zoe!" Artemis stared at the huntress in disbelief. "_How_ are you still alive?" Zoe shrugged.

"Perseus healed me." Artemis gaped for another second before nodding. "And my lifeline is connected to his now."

"_WHAT?!" _Artemis screeched, before calming down. "So you're immortal?"

"Pretty much, yes."

**Tears sprung into Thalia's eyes. Zoe and she had become very close during the quest. She just prayed she would somehow survive, her hopes were not high.**

**Thalia suddenly heard a voice in her head. 'Don't lose focus my champion.' Her eyes widened.**

"Perseus?" The said god nodded.

"Yes."

**'Perseus!' she thought back.**

**'Stay focused Thalia. You cannot defeat Atlas alone. He is too strong for you right now.' She heard.**

**'Then what the hell am I supposed to do!' She thought back agitated.**

**'Go to Artemis. Take the weight of the sky from her. It is the only way. She can defeat Atlas and force him back under.' Thalia's jaw dropped.**

**'I can't it will crush me!' She cried.**

"Don't do it, it will crush you!" Artemis cried out. Thalia smiled reasurringly.

'it didn't."

**'Thalia, you are stronger than you can imagine. Do you trust me?' He asked her seriously.**

**Thalia thought for a moment. He was there when no one else was. Not her mother. Not her father. Even when she didn't know it was him. She trusted him with her life. She knew she would take the sky.**

**'Of course I do Perseus. I will take the sky. I will hold until Artemis can put Atlas back where he belongs. I will make you proud.' She thought back.**

"As I said, you have already made me proud a million times before."

**'Thalia, you have made me beyond proud long before today. I know you will succeed.' She heard before she felt his presence vanish from her mind.**

**She looked at Atlas to see he hadn't moved an inch during her mental conversation with Perseus; it was like Atlas was frozen. He seemed to unfreeze right as she looked at him. She had no idea what that was about but had no time to think of it now; he was already coming at her. His spear materialized in his hand while she was weaponless.**

**Thalia knew she wouldn't make it to Artemis before Atlas killed her. She thought about what Perseus would tell her to do. Perseus! She thought. She grabbed her pendant and pulled. Her bow materialized in her hand quiver on her back.**

**She notched two arrows and fired them straight into Atlas' face.**

"Score!" Apollo shouted.

**She fired two more at his leg. Dropping him to a knee, giving her the chance she needed.**

**She sprinted to Artemis, stopping directly in front of her.**

**"Lady Artemis! Give me the sky." She exclaimed.**

**"No child, it will crush you." Artemis groaned back, clearly exhausted.**

**"No milady. Atlas will kill me anyway. Only you can fight him and put him back under the sky." Thalia replied.**

**She couldn't wait to argue with Artemis any longer, she climbed under the sky, stood next to Artemis, and put hands up to grab hold of the sky.**

**The weight and pain was unimaginable. She didn't know how long she could hold it.**

"not long," Perseus said. "Lets hope that this gets over with." he looked so cheerful that I wondered what happened next.

**'Prepare yourself Thalia.' It was Perseus again.**

**Then the weight and pain more than doubled. Thalia realized that Artemis had slipped out from under the burden. The pain was indescribable. She could barely make out Artemis battling Atlas in front of her, she was a blur of silver, hunting knives striking faster than Thalia could follow.**

"You were a mortal then. That's why you couldn't focus on me."

**Thalia felt herself getting lightheaded. Her vision darkened and she was close to giving in to the pain.**

"Don't!" Zeus cried. He was blasted by his own bolt of lightning.

**'Hold on Thalia, only another couple minutes. I know you can do it. You have to. If not then all will be lost.' She heard in her mind.**

**Perseus' voice gave her new strength. Her vision began to clear. She felt raw power coursing through her body. She stood up straighter, lifting the weight off her shoulders slightly with her hands. **

"How!" Artemis gasped; she had never seen such a strong girl. I beamed at Thalia, and she smiled back.

**'That's my girl.' She heard the proud voice of Perseus in her mind. The fact that he called her his girl made her crack a smile despite the immense pain.**

**She suddenly heard a female voice enter her mind, 'Prepare yourself. Get ready.' It was Artemis. Thalia looked up to see Atlas lunge toward Artemis with his spear. She quickly dodged his strike, grabbed his spear and flung the Titan straight into Thalia.**

**She loosened her grip on the sky as the Titan crashed into her. She let herself get pushed out from the burden and saw the sky drop onto Atlas' back.**

"That's smart," Athena said approvingly. "That's probably the only way that you could've gotten him back under the sky."

Perseus nodded. "It's not like he's going to go, 'Give me the sky! I want to be crushed again!" The entire counsil cracked up.

**He screamed in pain before readjusting the weight onto his shoulders.**

**Thalia lay on the ground panting from exhaustion. She had done it. She held the sky and survived.**

**She looked up to see Luke disarm Clarisse who sneered at him, "This isn't over Castellan." She touched her bracelet and vanished into a golden light.**

**Luke dropped to a knee, panting from exhaustion. Thalia ran up to him and pulled him into a hug.**

"Awwwww!" Aphrodite squealed. Thalia glared at her.

"I'm not even dating him, idiot."

**"Have you seen Annabeth?" She asked him worriedly.**

**"No, but Clarisse said she was imprisoned downstairs. She said after she killed me she would run Annabeth through with my own sword." He spat angrily. Thalia could understand his anger. Annabeth was like their little sister. They had taken care of her and watched over her ever since they had met her while roaming the country. Thalia promised herself to rip that war brats head off first chance she got, traitorous bitch.**

**"You did great Luke. Go find Annabeth. I will check on Zoe." Thalia told him. Luke nodded and took off down into the internal chambers of the mountain.**

**Thalia quickly sprinted to where she saw Zoe thrown.**

I Just remembered her, and i anxiously glanced at the girl on the sofa, who looked unharmed. She shook her head as if tell her she was fine.

**When she reached her, she saw Zoe cradled in Artemis' arms. The goddess was sobbing hard.**

**Zoe was still alive, but not for long. There was blood soaked through her huntress uniform. Her skin was deathly pale. **

"How did you survive?" Apollo marveled again. "i can't even heal that."

**Thalia knelt by Zoe, tears falling hard from her eyes.**

**"Can't you heal her?" Thalia cried to the Goddess.**

**Artemis just shook her head sadly still crying hard, "When the fates will the string cut, there is little we can do."**

**Thalia saw Zoe reaching weakly for her neck. She was looking for her necklace.**

**Thalia grabbed Zoe's hand and guided it to her wolf pendant.**

"You thought of _that_ when you were about to die?" Perseus said softly. he smiled lovingly at her, and she curled herself into his side.

**Zoe grasped it tightly and whispered, "I'm so sorry."**

**Artemis looked confused but Thalia understood.**

**"You knew you were going to die. Atlas is your father, and yet you still came despite knowing what would happen." Thalia cried softly.**

**Zoe nodded, "I could not outrun my fate. If the Fates will something to happen, they cannot be defied."**

"That's true.

**"That may be the case for most. But it is not for me." A man's voice echoed in the cavern.**

**Artemis' head shot up. She could feel and immense amount of power coming toward them.**

**Suddenly Artemis was pushed back by a wall of darkness, a vortex appeared next to Zoe, and outstepped Perseus. He crotched down next to Zoe and gently picked her up.**

**Artemis grabbed her hunting knives and tried to lunge toward him. She was restrained by shadows that held in place. She screamed at him, "Get away from her you filth!"**

"Back then, you hated me," Perseus chuckled. "I felt like you were watching every time i was with her."

Zoe laughed. "My Lady does not spy, Percy. She makes sure I am safe."

"While hidden, trying not to be noticed," Perseus smirked. "That is spying."

**Perseus completely ignored her. He cradled Zoe in his arms, "Did you really think I wouldn't know you were on a quest that predicted your death?" He asked her softly.**

**Zoe shook her head, "I'm so sorry. I should have told you but I couldn't leave my mistress at the mercy of my father."**

**Perseus just smiled gently at her, "And I could not stand by and watch the love of my life die before we ever got to be together."**

**He placed his hands on Zoe's wound sending streams of silver and black energy into her body. He continued to do so for several minutes. Slowly her wound closed up, and ever so subtly her skin regained the coppery tint it usually had.**

"So that's how," Apollo said in wonder. Perseus looked up from Zoe's hair.

'I could teach you how to do that if you'd like," He offered. Apollo looked giddy with excitment."

**Once her skin regained its usual glow, Perseus removed his hands, Zoe still cradled in his lap.**

**Zoe opened her eyes and stared into Perseus' eyes before reaching up and grabbing his head, pulling him in for a slow and gentle kiss, drawing a shocked gasp from Artemis.**

**Before anyone could say anything, a bright light appeared in front of Perseus and Zoe. The three Fates appeared with an outraged expression on their faces.**

**"Zoe Nightshade was supposed to die on this quest. Your interference is not allowed, Primordial or not!" They yelled in unison.**

"Uh oh," Apollo singsonged.

**Everyone with the exception of Perseus wore terrified expressions on their faces. He set Zoe on her feet and stood up to his full height of six foot four, eyes pulsing with power. He wore an angry expression as he addressed the Fates, "I am beyond your power and your control. You cannot stop me from saving her." He spat angrily.**

**The Fates flinched but quickly regained their composure, "You may have healed her but we will just cut her string now. That is her fate; you have no right to interfere and cannot stop us."**

**Zoe was utterly terrified. She had just been saved only to be killed anyway.**

**Thalia was dumbfounded, staring numbly since the fates called her Patron a Primordial God and horrified her friend was going to die.**

**Artemis had a million emotions racing through her mind. She wanted to gut this man for kissing her lieutenant, whether he saved her or not. She was scared after learning he was a Primordial. Worried her lieutenant was going to be killed anyway, and utterly shocked by the fates appearance, the fact that both Thalia and Zoe seemed to know this man, and that Zoe appeared to be in love with him.**

**Before anyone could say anything, the Fates summoned a piece of string colored the same volcanic rock black as Zoe's eyes and a pair of shears getting ready to cut the string.**

**Time slowed, for everyone but Perseus. His eyes flashed with rage. He fired an energy blast at Lachesis and Atropos, who were holding the string and shears. Both fates eyes widened as the blast hit them. They dropped the shears and string. Perseus lunged forward and grabbed the string before it could drop then let time resume its usual pace. The shears fell to the ground. Every single person was absolutley flabbergasted by the events.**

"Okay, so you can control the freaking fates?" Hades shook his head wearily. "What next, you're going to say that you can make the universe stop moving?"

Perseus nodded, and his mouth fell open comically.

**Perseus just smirked. He tucked the string into his back pocket, and then winked at Zoe.**

**Another Vortex opened in between the Fates and Perseus.**

**Outstepped a man, six foot six, with pale skin and pure black eyes.**

**The three fates bowed immediately. "Lord Chaos." They said in unison. Thalia and Artemis, who was released from her bonds, copied their actions immediately.**

"That was smart," Perseus admitted. "Even though he hates bowing, he wants to know that the person he meets is capable of doing so without hurting his or her pride."

Zoe nodded. "there was a guy who didn't bow to him, and i think he was scarred for life."

**Perseus and Zoe just smiled. "Father." "Chaos." They both said casually. Artemis and Thalia were on the verge of a mental breakdown from the events of the past twenty minutes.**

**Before anyone said anyone said anything else there was a flash of light. When it vanished, there stood the Mother of Rome Lupa, smiling.**

**Before anyone could say a word, Chaos spoke up, rather casually, "Well I know everyone is very confused, well except for Perseus, Lupa, and Zoe, all your questions will be answered, but you must come with me."**

"What questions? What answers?" Apollo asked. Artemis facepalmed, and Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Really, Apollo?"

**The fates, Thalia, and Artemis all nodded numbly.**

**Thalia tugged on Perseus' sleeve and said quietly, "Luke and Annabeth are still inside. We can't leave them here."**

**Perseus nodded, he snapped his fingers and the sleeping forms of Luke and Annabeth were in front of them. "They can come with us, but this conversation is not for their ears so they will stay asleep until we return. Their memories will be adjusted so they think they came back to camp on Artemis' chariot."**

"That's cool! I could use it when I'm pranking people, and..." Artemis glared at Hermes, and he cowered into his throne.

"Ummm... never mind?" Artemis smirked.

"That's what I thought."

**Thalia smiled a Perseus, her eyes showing her gratitude.**

**With that Chaos opened a vortex. Zoe grabbed Perseus' hand lacing their fingers together and walked into the vortex first, Artemis and Thalia behind them, Artemis glaring daggers through Perseus' back.**

**Lupa put a hand on Artemis' shoulder. Artemis raised an eyebrow. Lupa looked deeply into her friend's silver eyes. "Do you trust me Diana?"**

**Artemis looked confused, but replied, "Of course I do. You are one of my closest friends."**

**Lupa smiled, "Please wait to pass judgment then. After this meeting you will want to kill some people but I promise you Perseus will not be one of them."**

"I hope not," Artemis muttered, surprising herself. I stared at her in amusement.

"That would not help your huntress," I laughed, and she looked over in surprise.

**Artemis looked at her bewildered, "I do not understand but I trust you. I will wait to pass judgment. But unless something changes I will try to kill him for touching my Lieutenant."**

**Lupa smiled sadly, "Thank you my friend. I promise you will not regret it."**

**Artemis was still confused but nodded her head and smiled a small smile at one of her oldest friends. They walked into the portal with Thalia, followed by the Three Fates who were also very confused, and lastly by Chaos who was shaking his head at the conversation ahead of him, the sleeping floating bodies of Annabeth and Luke bringing up the rear.**

"That's cool," Apollo said for like the tenth time, and i found myself agreeing with Athena; he really should get more vocabulary words.

"You should learn more vocabulary," Artemis said matter of factly, stating my thoughts exactly.

**Once everyone was settled into the throne room, Luke and Annabeth sleeping on beds Chaos conjured, Chaos turned to the three fates.**

**"You know the situation with Perseus, his conception, his situation, and the role he will play in the future, so I will tell you now, let this go. If you do not, you will face not only his wrath but my own. I know you were only performing your duties, but he had my consent to save her, he cannot face what is to come in the future without her."**

**The Fates nodded their heads, obviously not happy with what happened and how it happened, but knew better than to go against Chaos. "Yes, Lord Chaos. We understand."**

**Chaos smiled, "Thank you granddaughters, you may leave now."**

**The fates bowed and flashed out.**

**"Now time to discuss the more complicated matters. Artemis, I need you to refrain from doing anything until we have completed our discussion, understood?" Chaos asked seriously.**

"She would've blasted the first chance she got," Perseus explained to my questioning glance.

Thalia snickered.

**Artemis nodded, slightly nervous about angering Chaos.**

**"Well, first let's start with Perseus. Perseus here is the son of Lupa and myself." Chaos stated slowly.**

**Artemis' jaw dropped, betrayal clear in her eyes at the thought of Lupa breaking her vow.**

**"Perseus is my adopted son." He said calmly. Artemis was just confused now.**

**"A little over two millennia ago, your half-brother Ares, raped Lady Lupa, resulting in Perseus' birth." Chaos said cautiously.**


	8. Chapter 8

**-There is really no excuse for being so late in updating except for that Life caught up to me... so, on with the story!**

**Johanna**

**Artemis ****exploded. "What! Send me to Olympus NOW! I am going to cut him up into little pieces and spread his essence so far apart he will never reform"**

"Yes, well, you don't change much," Perseus remarked, smirking at Artemis, who was gripping the armrests of her throne, seething in anger. Suddenly, she leaped up and jumped on Ares, slamming her hunting knives into every part of his body.

"That was for Lupa!" She yelled, sheathing a dagger into his groin while he howled in pain. "And that was for Zoe!" She slammed another knife into his knee. "And _that_ is for Perseus," She hissed. "No one should ever feel like they were the result of an _accident._" She whipped out her dagger and drew two deep gashes into his chest. "And _that_ was just because I wanted to." She stormed back to her throne, and when Apollo got up to heal him, he found two silver bows and one black one pointing at him. He gulped and sat down quickly.

**Suddenly Artemis' rage quelled, and she broke down into tears and ran to her friend and embraced her tightly, sobbing hard at the thought of her friend's suffering. Lupa just hugged her tightly. She didn't cry. It was painful to think about but she had moved past it. It had given her a son. The thing she loved most in the world. In the end, she was fine with her life. She had a great son and a great life.**

"I never felt like a mistake," Perseus said to Artemis, who nodded stiffly. "Lupa loved me too much." He smiled fondly at the mention of his mother, before walking over to Ares's motionless body and sending another dagger through his knee.

Zoe snickered. "Yes, and that's why he's so violent-" She gestured to Ares. "To him." As if to prove his point, Ares groaned, and Zoe, Perseus, Artemis, and Hera burst out laughing. Thalia was the only one who didn't _laugh_- she was rolling around on the floor, in hysterics.

"Can't believe I had _that_ for a half brother..." Thalia mumbled when she finally stopped. Andromeda turned in Nyx's lap.

'He _used_ to be your brother?" Thalia nodded, and Artemisia frowned, before her eyes lit up and she grinned in understanding.

**"Diana," she said calmly, "Its ok. Yes I hate him, but it gave me my son. I would not go back and change it. My son is everything a mother could ask for in a child. So please relax because I am fine now."**

**Artemis nodded and gave her friend another hug before returning to her chair.**

**"Now continuing on, our son Perseus is the Primordial God of Hunting, Battle, Darkness and Time."**

"Hunting?!" Artemis shrieked. Perseus nodded, and she pursed her lips before nodding. "So that's why you have good aim with the bow." Perseus smiled.

"Yes."

"Time?!" Zeus shrilled in a surprisingly high octave-I usually try to find the best out of people, but even _I_ couldn't speak that high- and _I'm_ a girl. Perseus nodded again, and Zeus stared like an owl (Sorry, niece,) at him. "_time?"_ he squeaked. Perseus rolled his eyes/

"Are you deaf?" Thalia nodded vigorously, earning a couple of laughs from the Olympians.

**Thalia and Artemis gasped at that proclamation. Instead of saying anything though, they let the conversation continue on.**

**Chaos turned to Zoe, "Zoe dear, I think you should tell the story of how you got to know Perseus, starting at the beginning."**

"_No one_ is going to interrupt," Athena warned, looking up from the book. The others nodded, and I laughed to myself. My niece's thirst for knowledge was incredible.

**Zoe nodded and turned to Artemis. She told the story of their meeting at the Garden of the Hesperides, leaving out no detail. Afterword Artemis turned to Perseus and gave him a small smile. He had sent her the best huntress she ever had, and knocked out her arrogant half-brother that she hated.**

**Zoe turned to Artemis again, "My lady, you are not going to like some of the story when I get to a certain part of it, but please stay calm. You will especially like the result of that part."**

**Artemis looked confused but nodded.**

**"Well a little over 1500 years ago, you sent me to track a couple Hellhounds with two of my sisters. We separated where the beasts split up. As I followed my trail, I was confronted by Heracles. He assumed that I had attacked him when Perseus retrieved my sword that day 500 years prior. He attacked me and after I cut him…" Zoe paused here. Perseus grabbed her hand for comfort. She took a breath, bracing for Artemis' reaction, "He tried the rape me."**

Athena herself interrupted. "How _dare _he try and rape a maiden! The next time I see him, he's going to hope that Zeus protects him. Hera wasn't much better.

"See? You told me that he was heroic! Heroic my immortal ass! First, he cheats on the quest, and then, he tries to rape the girl who tried to help him. Look at the sons you have!" She gestured to Ares and the book, and Zeus turned red.

"Some of them are your children, too!" Hera screamed with rage and flew at him, and after Zoe pulled her off, Athena began reading again.

** Artemis exploded once again; this day was too much for her. She couldn't control herself anymore and she burst** **into her true form in an absolute furious rage. **

Artemis's eyes widened. She hoped that she had not injured or possibly killed Thalia and her huntress, but she could never be sure.

She stared at Perseus. _Please, you have to do something,_ her eyes seemed to be pleading. Perseus seemed to give an almost imperceptible nod in return, and Artemis slumpled into her chair in relief.

**Perseus acting quickly, cocooned Thalia and Zoe in balls of darkness while Lupa calmed Artemis. Once she regained her human form, she was still seething in rage. She gripped her armrest so hard it cracked. She took a few calming breaths and nodded to Perseus who released Thalia and Zoe, both of whom sent him appreciative smiles.**

**Zoe continued knowing Artemis would love this part of the story, "Well after he hit me, he said he wanted to make a few adjustments to my face. I prayed to Perseus using the pendant he gave me. As Heracles tried to bring his blade down on my face I had closed my eyes. Instead of pain, I heard the sound of blades colliding. When I opened my eyes, Perseus was holding Heracles blade back. He saved my life, in more ways than one that day. After Perseus pushed him back he attacked Heracles injuring him severely, Heracles was bleeding all over. He tried to teleport out but Perseus froze him in time. Then Perseus had the wonderful suggestion of removing Heracles of his assets before we sent him away." Zoe stopped to chuckle for a moment. "So I sent a couple arrows into his crotch before Perseus kicked him through a portal sending him into a place where the Olympians power doesn't reach, leaving him a three day walk from help." Zoe finished grinning. She remembered how funny what they had done was but also how she and Perseus had started dating then.**

Perseus smiled wistfully, and Artemisia and Andromeda leaped up. "Daddy, what is dating?" Andromeda asked innocently. Zoe rolled her eyes, and it was obvious that Andromeda already knew the answer.

Perseus turned a vibrant shade of red. "Tell them," Thalia encouraged. Perseus smirked.

"Why don't you go ask Sister Thals?" Thalia glared at Perseus, but he just laughed. "Revenge is sweet," He said teasingly. Thalia huffed.

"You know this, kids. Don't make me explain."

Athena continued reading, saving her the embarrassment.

**Artemis sat there dumbfounded for a minute. She then got up and walked over to Perseus. She shocked everyone in the room when she pulled him out of his seat and hugged him. "Thank you for saving my best friend." She said sincerely. She then stepped back and playfully punched him in the shoulder, "That was the ****funniest day in the history of Olympus." She said laughing. **

Zeus frowned. He had no idea that people hated his son so much.

"How the Hades do you manage to have so many...bastard children?" Zoe questioned. When my darling little brother turned red in the face, and began to splutter, Zoe laughed and answered her own question. "Maybe because you're a bastard, too?" Zeus turned a never before known shade of purple.

"You dare-"

Hera slapped him across the face. "She's right."

Zeus shut up.

**"Heracles teleported into the throne room in the middle of a council meeting covered in ichor, holding his mangled and detached manhood in his hand and sobbing like a 5 year old. He claimed he was attacked by a group of monsters." Artemis said, before breaking down in laughter. "Zeus ordered no one to speak of it outside the council. I've wanted to tell someone about that for centuries. Even Apollo couldn't fix all the damage." She said still laughing.**

Artemis leaped out of her seat and stuck an arrow under her brother's chin. "You are _not_ going to even _attempt _to heal him. At all." Her voice was venomous, and Apollo went cross eyed staring at the point under his jaw. He nodded, trying not to impale himself on her weapon.

"Good." Perseus's voice cut through the tension. Everyone turned to him, and he shrugged. "He was a jerk."

"Got that right," Artemis muttered.

**Eventually she calmed down and turned very serious. "Now, what is going on between you and my lieutenant?" She asked in a dead serious tone that threatened pain.**

**So Zoe and Perseus told her the entire story of their relationship, from the first kiss to her breaking his nose and her first visit to the void.**

"I was scared out of my wits," Zoe laughed, "And I didn't believe that Chaos was so laid back until I met him." I understood her thoughts. My little brother had always insisted that everyone treat him with the utmost respect.

"Damn Zeus," Perseus hissed, apparently thinking the same thoughts.

Zeus glared, but when Perseus glared back, he shrunk into his seat.

**Thalia who had been silent, was shocked Zoe had attacked Perseus because she thought they were together. It was kind of weird for her. She considered the man her father.**

"Um, I can kind of see how that's weird," Artemis, surprisingly said. Aphrodite cooed.

"How sweet!" Perseus rolled his eyes.

**Artemis was silent for several minutes before responding, "How have you dated without me knowing? I am notified the minute a huntress so much as kisses a man."**

"YEs, I am," Artemis explained. "THat way, I can know which are having contact with men so they can be talked to and possibly kicked out." She sighed. "I've had to kick out an increasing amount of hunters." She narrowed her eyes at Aphrodite, who paled.

"Okay, okay! I'll stop messing with your love life!" she shrieked, dodging the arrows sent at her.

Perseus smirked.

**Perseus explained how he shielded them from Artemis' senses. He spoke cautiously as Artemis was getting angry this happened behind her back.**

**Artemis sat silently, clearly deep in thought.**

**She eventually turned to Zoe. "Are you still a maiden Zoe?" She asked without much expression.**

"Get some!" Apollo cheered, but immediately doubled over in pain as ten arrows embedded themselves into his pot of gold. he looked up to find two very angry women and one man glaring at him.

"Um...just kidding?" He tried, and Perseus glared at him.

"You would know, _man whore."_ Artemis laughed at Perseus' description of her brother.

**Zoe was shocked, but Perseus responded immediately, "Of course she is, what kind of man do you take me for? We are not married. I would never do that before she was my wife."**

**Artemis was silent for another couple minutes. The tension in the room was very thick.**

**Then Artemis broke out into a smile. "I do not like men. But I can honestly say I do like you. To wait thousands of years is an accomplishment no other man could or would achieve. In my many years of life you are the first to get my approval. It is clear you are your mother's son."**

"Yes, I am," Perseus proclaimed proudly. "My mother is a wonderful woman and I am proud to be of her blood." He glared at Ares. "Though not by the circumstances." Artemis beamed at the compliment given to her friend.

"Yes," Zoe smiled. "She's wonderful." I smiled at the girl.

**That garnered a fanged grin from both Lupa and Perseus. Lupa walked up and hugged her friend tightly. "Thank you for giving my son your approval. I promise you will not regret. His father, his real father Chaos has raised him well." That statement got a huge grin out of Chaos.**

"Chaos treated me like his real son," Perseus said. "I'm glad that he adopted me." That earned a grin from both Artemis and Hera.

_This is how a family should be,_ I thought from my place by the hearth.

**Artemis turned back to Perseus and Zoe, "Perseus, I like you. Do not disappoint me. There will be no second chances."**

"Yes," Artemis said warningly, and to her surprise, Perseus merely grinned and wrapped his arm tighter around Zoe's shoulders. She leaned into his chest, and he smiled.

"Zoe would kill me herself and rip out my testicles if I left," He murmured0, almost laughing, running his fingers through her silky black hair and earning a soft sigh from his girlfriend. "She's perfect."

Artemis grinned.

**Perseus nodded happily and Zoe ran up and hugged the woman she considered a mother and a best friend in one.**

**Once everyone calmed back down much happier than before, Artemis turned toThalia, "I'm confused, where do you fit in to all of this?"**

**Thalia looked at Perseus who nodded his approval before she began her tale, starting with running away all the way up until Perseus helping her hold the sky with his words.**

**When Thalia mentioned she knew it was Perseus who have her the backpack with the weapons and money he was bursting with pride, he didn't think she had figured it out.**

"I did," Thalia said, pleased. "Luke still thinks that it was the gods, but I told him a while back. He's doing fine, actually." She answered her father's unasked question, and Perseus laughed.

"You know me too well."

**When she finished and mentioned she considered Perseus more her father than Zeus, Perseus had a few tears in his eyes as he walked up and caught her in a crushing hug. He whispered in her ear, "As far as I'm concerned, you are my daughter and I could not be prouder."**

"THanks," Thalia gave her father a thumbs up, and Zoe beamed at her adopted daughter. "Im glad I made you proud."

"You always me proud," Perseus corrected, making the majority of the council smile.

**Once they broke apart and sat back down, Artemis turned back to Perseus, "I am more and more impressed with everything I learn about you. You are the only man I would ever consider to be worthy to be Zoe's partner."**

"THanks...I suppose," Zoe said uncertainly. Artemis laughed.

"Not a laughing matter, Zoe," Her crooked smile made all the males in the room flinch. "You know I'd actually do that." It didn't take a genius to figure out what _that_ was.

"Please don't catastrate too many people," She muttered, and Artemis grinned.

"No promises."

All the males in the room shivered.

**Artemis then turned to Thalia, "Don't feel bad about Zeus. He is not a good father to any of his children. The only ones that can stand him are a few of the vilest males on the planet; Ares, Heracles, and Dionysus. Even my idiot twin brother thinks he's the worst father on the planet. But although our father is useless, you can depend on most of your half-brothers and sisters if you need us." She said with a warm smile.**

Thalia smiled. It was nice to know that someone godly cared about her, that were not her adoptive parents. Even if Artemis felt the same way about other maidens, she still found it comforting.

She shared a warm smile with the goddess of the hunt.

**Thalia smiled happily back at her half-sister, thankful she had some family that cared.**

Like she was now.

**With that sensitive discussion behind them, Chaos decided it was time to tell them of the real threat the Olympians would be facing.**

The Olympians leaned forward eagerly, ready to hear. Athena balanced on the tip of her throne, almost falling off in anticipation even though she was reading.

Zeus shrugged. "We can beat them, of course." Perseus glared at him.

It was remarkable how fast he shut up.

**"Artemis, as much as I wish this was the end of things that needed to be discussed, it is not. I am going to tell you things you may not tell anyone else that isn't in this conversation. Not only that, I need you to swear an oath to keep silent on these things until the time I decide is right."**

"You don't trust us?" Zeus burst.

"Not you." Perseus said calmly, wrapping his arms around Zoe casually. Zeus fumed with anger, turning a shade of red never before imagined.

**Artemis was confused and worried about whatever it was Chaos was going to tell her but knew she could not refuse a request by the creator.**

**"And I need you to swear upon my name as the River Styx is not binding enough for this kind of information. Just know that if you break an oath on my name, you will not go to Tatarus, you will fade immediately and never come back. I also need Zoe and Thalia to do the same. Lupa has already made the oath so she does not need to do it again." Chaos said in a dead serious tone.**

The Olympians paled at the oath. "Remind me never to swear an oath on Chaos," Apollo grimaced, but Zoe smiled.

"If Chaos wishes it you will need to," She informed him. Apollo turned pale.

**Artemis, Zoe and Thalia immediately paled at the thought of making this oath. Perseus squeezed Zoe's hand in support the sent reassuring thoughts to Thalia to ease her worries.**

**All three swore the oath on Chaos' name. A darkness poured into the room, dropping the temperature immediately. Then the darkness vanished. The oaths were sealed.**

Artemis let out a sigh of relief that the oath had been sealed.

**"Thank you. As you all know Kronos is rising and rallying other Titans as well as an army to attack Olympus. He will also release Typhon and send him at Olympus. That is merely a fly on the wall compared to the threat you will face afterwards."**

"_Shit," _Apollo said, and Artemis kicked him, even though she was thinking the same thing. Zeus, being his usual arrogant self, shrugged.

"So? We can beat them." he said calmly, and immediately, an arrow embedded itself an inch from his head. he turned, and was surprised to see that the arrow was not black, but silver. "_Artemis?!"_

His daughter glared at him. "Stop being such an ego filled asshole and listen!" Zeus's mouth fell open, and it would've been comical except for the hand that was reaching for his master bolt.\

"No, no," Perseus tsked, and everyone turned to see he was standing in the center of the room, towering over Zeus. The almighty king of the gods gulped as his bolt was taken from him and handed to his daughter, who stared at it light it was the biggest prize in the world.

**Artemis' jaw dropped at that proclamation. She had a feeling it was Gaia and the Giants again, which would be very bad.**

**Zoe got worried immediately and also very sad as she thought after Kronos, she and Perseus could finally be together.**

**"**Well, the fates just won't give up on making my life miserable," Perseus chuckled, and the other demigods stared at him as if he had grown a second head. Zoe laughed.

"You get used to it after a while," She informed us.

**Thalia was irritated as well as felt betrayed. Perseus told her the world was on her shoulders and now it was just a minor threat.**

I smiled in understanding. The girl had just been through major trauma and now, she's told that she has another major problem.

She smiled tightly back at the hearth.

**"Afterword, Gaia will raise her giant children and wage war on Olympus. But that is not the real threat you face." Chaos continued with a very serious face.**

"WHAT?!" The entire throne room interrupted into nervous chatter, and the hearth fire dimmed.

'I think it would be best to take a break," Athena closed the book. "We will read later. For now, I think a war council is in demand"

**Forgive me for being so late! Review-the good, the bad, and the ugly...including the tomatoes.**

**-Johanna Night**

**.**


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